ADACAS - ACT Disability, Aged and Carer Advocacy Service

17/08/2026

ADACAS was glad to have a stall at the Calvary Home Care Support Workers Conference 2026. The event brought together home care workers, service providers, and organisations all focused on helping older people live well at home. It was a good opportunity to build relationships, share knowledge and raise awareness of the support available through independent advocacy.

Home care support workers are often among the first to notice when an older person's needs are changing. They also play an important role in helping people connect with the right information and services.

ADACAS offers free, independent, and confidential aged care advocacy for older people in the ACT. We support older people and their families to help them understand their rights, navigate the aged care system, and make sure their voices are heard.

If you work with older people and would like to learn more about aged care advocacy or arrange a free information session for your team or organisation, contact us on 1800 700 600 or visit www.adacas.org.au.

13/08/2026

Over the coming months, you may notice ADACAS on buses and maxi taxis across ACT/Queanbeyan, Wollongong/Illawarra, and Bateman’s Bay.

Most people will pass by without giving it a second thought, but for someone trying to navigate aged care, disability or mental health services, seeing the right information at the right time could be the first step towards getting support.

We’re making our services more visible, but we hope these messages do more than catch people's attention.
Hopefully, they help someone discover that they don't have to navigate complex systems on their own.

ADACAS provides free, independent and confidential advocacy for older people in the ACT, and for people with disability and those experiencing mental ill-health across the ACT and parts of regional New South Wales. We also offer support to people across Australia who are considering applying to, or are already involved with, the National Redress Scheme.

If you see one of our buses or maxi taxis while you're out and about, remember that the message might be exactly what someone needs to see that day.

To find out more, visit www.adacas.org.au or call 02 6242 5060. For aged care advocacy, call 1800 700 600.

13/08/2026

ADACAS welcomes the appointment of Kate Pope PSM as Acting Inspector-General of Aged Care.

Because we work closely with older people every day, ADACAS understands how important independent oversight and ongoing improvement are in aged care. The Inspector-General helps monitor Australia’s aged care system, reports on reforms, and looks for ways to improve care for older Australians.

We congratulate Ms Pope on her new role and appreciate the Inspector-General’s work in supporting changes that make aged care stronger and fairer for older people.

We thank Natalie Siegel-Brown for her contributions and wish her well in her expanded role with the UN.

12/08/2026

It's one thing to know you need support. It's another to know when that support will actually arrive.

The Sydney Morning Herald article linked to this post (31 July, subscription required) highlights growing concern about the lack of transparency around waiting times for the government-funded Support at Home program after older people have already been approved for assistance.

Waiting is difficult. Waiting without clear information can be even harder. As one person quoted in the article said: "They don't know if it's three weeks, three months or 12 months."
This uncertainty affects more than planning. It affects older people, family carers and loved ones trying to balance work, caring responsibilities, their children and changing support needs while they wait.

The experiences described in the article echo concerns that ADACAS advocates hear from older people and their families. While advocacy can't remove every delay, it can help people understand their rights, explore their options and advocate for fair treatment and access to information throughout the process.
Everyone should have timely, easy-to-understand information so they know where they are in the process and what to expect next.

If you have questions about government-funded aged care or need support, ADACAS offers free, independent, and confidential aged care advocacy in the ACT. Call us on 1800 700 600 or visit our website at www.adacas.org.au to learn more.







https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/overwhelmed-adult-children-caring-for-parents-demand-aged-care-clarity-20260728-p60j6v.html

Families and carers want a quarterly count of those in line for assessment and funding, and those who had died while waiting for support.

12/08/2026

Imagine More is offering a free, hands-on workshop called Digging for Buried Treasure: Unearthing Neighbourhood Connections. The session will be led by Cormac Russell, an internationally recognised expert in community development.

ADACAS is happy to share this opportunity with the people and organisations we support. If you are a family member, supporter, or work with people with disability, this workshop could give you useful ideas and a new way to think about connecting with your community.

Monday, 17 August 2026 – be quick!
Click the link to find out more and register.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if there were a simple and cost-effective way to help isolated individuals connect with their neighbours and truly engage with their local community?

Fortunately, there is such an approach: Asset-Based Community Development.

Next week, Cormac Russell, one of the world’s most respected social explorers, will be in Canberra to present a one-day workshop on this topic.

If you haven’t attended one of Cormac’s events before, you’re in for a treat! With 25 years of hands-on experience, he understands what is needed to bring communities together. His approach ensures that those who might typically live on the fringes are welcomed and included in community life.

This workshop offers a unique opportunity to learn from Cormac Russell while he’s in Australia. Please register promptly to secure your spot.

🗓️ Monday, 17 August 2026
⏰ From 9:00 am until 5:00 pm
📍 In person in Belconnen, ACT
🍱 This is a fully catered event.
🎟️ Our funding from the NDIA (through a Peer Support and Capacity Building (PSCB) grant) covers all costs associated with delivering this exciting event, so you can attend free of charge.
✨ This event has been developed for families and their support teams.

Learn more and register on our website:
https://imaginemore.org.au/events/buried-treasure/

05/08/2026

Recently, our team held an information session with the Hawker Men’s Shed community group. During the session, someone asked if they should register for a My Aged Care assessment after turning 65, even though they were still managing well at home.

It's a great question, and one many older people ask. Turning 65 doesn't automatically mean you have to register with My Aged Care right away. Government-funded aged care depends on your care needs, not just your age.

But if daily tasks are getting harder, it might be a good idea to look into what support is available.

Support can include help with things like:
• household cleaning or laundry
• shopping or preparing meals
• showering or getting dressed
• getting to appointments
• staying safe and independent at home.

The Australian Government also encourages people to contact My Aged Care if they:
• have difficulty with daily activities because of physical, mental or social challenges
• need support from another person or assistive equipment to remain independent
• would like to discuss their individual circumstances with a trained My Aged Care staff member.

Learning about your options early can help you get the right support when your needs change. If government-funded aged care is not the best fit, there are other services that can help you stay independent for longer.

If you are unsure where to begin, ADACAS is here to help. We offer free, independent, and confidential advocacy, information, and education for older people, their families, and informal carers. We work with you to understand your rights, navigate the aged care system, and make informed choices about the support that suits you best.

To learn more or talk to an experienced advocate, call us at 1800 700 600 or visit adacas.org.au.

03/08/2026

At our recent North Canberra Hospital advocacy information stall, an older woman approached the team with a question that many people wonder about: whether they would be eligible for government-funded aged care services.

She and her husband were both in their late 70s. Her husband has been in and out of hospital, and she was his primary carer at home.

Support depends on a person's individual circumstances and care needs. While government-funded aged care may be one option, it isn't the only one.

For people recovering from illness or returning home from hospital, the ACT Government’s Community Assistance and Temporary Supports (CATS) Program may provide eligible Canberrans with short-term support such as domestic assistance, personal care, transport to medical appointments and help connecting with longer-term services. The program can also support unpaid carers in their caring role.

It's so important to remember the important role the carer plays. Many people don't think of themselves as carers because they're simply looking after their husband, wife or partner, but caring can take a physical and emotional toll, and support is available. For our Canberra community, Carers ACT supports unpaid carers with information, advice, counselling, well-being programs, respite options and connections to other services.

ADACAS offers free, independent, and confidential advocacy, information, and education for older people, their families, and carers. We work with people to help them understand their rights, explore their options, and navigate aged care and other support systems with confidence.

If you’d like to talk to an advocate, you can call ADACAS on 1800 700 600 or visit www.adacas.org.au.

30/07/2026

Many people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse may not realise they could be eligible for the National Redress Scheme, and for many survivors, deciding whether to explore it can be a significant step.

It often helps to start by finding out who the Scheme is for.
You might be eligible if:
· you experienced sexual abuse before the age of 18
· the abuse happened before 1 July, 2018 while you were in an institution, such as a school, church, mission, orphanage, foster care, hospital, detention centre or sporting club
· you were born before 30 June, 2010
· you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident when you apply.

The National Redress Scheme acknowledges the harm caused by institutional child sexual abuse. If you receive an offer of redress, it may include a payment, access to counselling and psychological care, and a personal response, such as an apology, from the institution responsible.

If you aren’t sure whether you’re eligible, or if applying is right for you, you don’t have to navigate it alone. ADACAS offers free, independent, and confidential support for people across Australia who are thinking about applying or are already involved with the National Redress Scheme.

Our advocates work with you using a trauma-informed, person-centred approach. We provide practical information and advocacy so you can explore your options, make decisions, and get help to complete your application at your own pace.

To learn more, call ADACAS at 02 6242 5060 or visit www.adacas.org.au.

30/07/2026

Looking back at NAIDOC Week early this month, ADACAS staff had the privilege of attending the NAIDOC Week March and Flag Raising Ceremony in Wagga Wagga and the Flag Raising Ceremony in Moruya, joining First Nations communities, Elders and organisations in recognising Fifty Years of Deadly, as well as our whole-of-team tour of the First Nations exhibition at the National Museum of Australia.

We appreciated the opportunity to celebrate culture, acknowledge history and reflect on the ongoing contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Individually and as a team, we took the opportunity to listen, learn and reflect on the strength, leadership and enduring contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We wish to thank the communities and organisers who welcomed us to these events.

29/07/2026

ADACAS CEO Wendy Prowse attended the National Press Club for Inspector-General of Aged Care Natalie Siegel-Brown’s final address. What the Inspector-General shared matched the concerns ADACAS advocates have been working on recently, and what we hear from older people and their families.

Read our latest article 'When people can't access aged care support early, the consequences can be significant' to find out more.

You can find the article here:
https://adacas.org.au/when-people-cant-access-aged-care-support-early-the-consequences-can-be-significant/