Seeking support from an advocate

An advocate is an impartial person who can support you in a variety of situations — from understanding aged care services or fees through to understanding your rights and managing your aged care.

How does advocacy support work?

An advocate listens to your situation and can provide free, confidential and independent information and support. They are always on your side and will be guided by what you want and need. Importantly, they won’t talk to anyone unless you want them to.

An aged care advocate can help with:

• understanding aged care services or fees
• getting the most from your services
• help with decision making options
• knowing and understanding your aged care rights
• speaking with your service provider at your direction
• resolving concerns or complaints with your aged care provider about the services you receive
• increasing your skills and knowledge to self-advocate
• helping you raise concerns if you feel you aren’t being treated respectfully, fairly or appropriately.

What advocacy information and support is available?

If you are receiving aged care services, you should expect to have your rights upheld and your wishes met, whether you are living independently at home or in an aged care home (residential aged care).  

The Australian Government funds the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) to deliver the National Aged Care Advocacy Program across Australia. The program provides free, confidential and independent information and support to older people seeking or receiving government-funded aged care as well as their families of choice or and other supporters.  

OPAN’s aged care advocates can help you to understand and exercise your aged care rights, find aged care services that meet your needs, and resolve issues with your government-funded aged care provider.  

If you have questions or concerns, you can speak to an aged care advocate by calling the Aged Care Advocacy Line on 1800 700 600 to be connected with the aged care advocacy organisation in your state or territory.  

For more information, visit the OPAN website.

How does self-advocacy work?

Self-advocacy or speaking up means having the right information to get the care and support you need. Self-advocacy puts you in the driver’s seat and is the ability to speak up for yourself on issues that are important to you.  

You might want to speak up when you:  

• are finding it difficult to access aged care services  
• have a concern about your aged care services  
• don’t feel like your aged care services are meeting your needs  
• want to make a complaint.

The Self-advocacy toolkit provides some practical tools to help you get started. It contains a step-by-step guide to making yourself heard and checklists to help you speak up for better in-home and residential care.  

This booklet also covers your aged care options when leaving hospital and tips for making an effective complaint. The OPAN website includes a suite of resources available to inform older people about their rights and the role advocates play in resolving issues with aged care providers.

If you’d prefer printed resources, you can order them on the OPAN website.