Thursday Three - 02 02 2023

  • AAG in action: Hot Topic for 2023
  • Member essentials: AAG member survey
  • News: Senior Australians of the Year

    AAG in action: Hot Topic for 2023

     

    The 2023 AAG Hot Topic is ‘Harnessing the power of digital storytelling to improve the lives of older people, their families and communities.

    Digital storytelling drives change from the ground up through amplifying unheard voices and empowering communities to fight for justice and advocate for change. In gerontology, storytelling provides a participatory approach to monitoring, evaluation and learning that helps organisations, community leaders and governments to better understand the experience of older adults, informal carers and the aged care workforce, to influence policy and improve programmes and services. Digital storytelling is a key strategy adopted by the UN Decade for Healthy Ageing (2020-2030) which is striving to improve the lives of older people, their families and their communities. While digital storytelling is widely used and well supported and recognised in other countries, it is relatively it is underutilised and undervalued in Australia. A presentation on this topic will create awareness about the transformative nature of digital storytelling and explain how to harness the power of its emotional impact to effect change in aged care.

    This topic was drafted by the AAG Qld Division, refined by the AAG Policy team and approved by the AAG Board

    The Glenda Powell Travelling Fellow is a leading Australian expert who creates conversations on the AAG Hot Topic, whilst travelling to at least three AAG Divisions (states and territories). Keep an eye out for the announcement of the 2023 Glenda Powell Travelling Fellow.

    Image from AAG NSW Division event, "Nothing About us, without Us" - An AAG Glenda Powell Travelling Fellow event, held on 22 Sep 2022 

    Click here for more information about the AAG Hot Topic

    Member essentials: AAG member survey

    ‘Supposing is good, but finding out is better’ (Mark Twain)

    AAG’s member survey went live on 24 January and will close on 14 February.

    We’re pleased to have this opportunity to ask our members to share their views on AAG: what you like most, how we could improve and how we can help you make the most of your membership.

    We’ve timed this survey so the results can be reviewed during the AAG Board strategic planning workshop in early March. Please have your say at AAG Member Survey

    In the news: Congratulations to all Senior Australians of the Year 2023

    Like every year, the older Australians nominated for the Senior Australian of the Year for each state/territory are an impressive bunch. In 2023, the winners for their local award:

    Australian Capital Territory: Professor Tom Calma AO (Australian Capital Territory)

    Champion of the rights and welfare of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for more than 45 years who helped to establish the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples. Prof Calma was awarded 2023 Senior Australian of the Year.

    New South Wales: Teresa Plane

    Palliative care pioneer and advocate who first opened a hospice and palliative care unit at Sydney’s Mt Carmel Hospital in 1978.

    Northern Territory: Bernard Tipiloura

    Tiwi Island Elder and suicide prevention campaigner who has helped reduce suicide rates in the Tiwi Islands over the past two decades, largely by visiting local schools to encourage young people to reconnect with their Indigenous heritage and to draw strength from their cultural identity.

    Queensland: Claude Lyle Harvey OAM

    Campaigned for child protection over the past 17 years, raising awareness and funds to prevent child sexual abuse.

    South Australia: Sandra Miller

    Aboriginal rights activist and advocate for Indigenous health and welfare, who has been heavily involved in South Australian Government policy development and service design for Aboriginal health, ageing and welfare.

    Tasmania: Dr Frances Donaldson

    Started out as a nurse before studying medicine in her 40s to become doctor, and has spent over a decade advocating for improved health outcomes for prisoners who needed more support through under-resourced prison health services.

    Victoria: Prof Frank Oberklaid AM

    Internationally recognised authority on children’s health and founding director for Victoria’s Centre for Community Child Health at The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne.

    Western Australia: Theresa Kwok

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Perth’s Chung Wah Community and Aged Care, an organisation with roughly 800 clients who are supported with aged care and disability support services so they can live independently in Australia.