Newsletter and IYOP Initiatives Australian Coalition '99

AC '99 UPDATE - EDITION No. 6 (February 1999)
NATIONAL Partner NEWS!

AAACE to ALA

The Australian Association of Adult & Community Education has recently changed its name to Adult Learning Australia. The tel and fax details remain the same but note new email address: info@ala.asn.au
Tel: (02) 6251 7933
Fax: (02) 6251 7935

Westfield to House Images

Westfield Shopping Centres has become a new partner in the Hammond Care Group's "Images of Our Elders" exhibition. Westfield's participation will ensure that "Images of Our Elders" will reach many individuals and groups throughout Australia that would not ordinarily have the opportunity to view this high-profile exhibition.

The exhibition features photographic images of many well known Australians with their personal comments on ageing including: Al Grassby, Swain Sarasvati, Charmaine Solomon and 17 more remarkable Australians.

"Images of Our Elders" runs from March 10 to 19 at Customs House in Sydney, and the exhibition will then tour Australia from April to August. For further information on the exhibition and its tour schedule please contact Helen Carter at The Hammond Care Group on Tel: (02) 9248 0444
Fax (02) 9299 3792
or email: hcarter@hammond.com.au

U3A Goes on-Line

The Australian Universities of the Third Age is an international movement which encourages enthusiastic older people to continue lifelong learning, without the need for prior academic qualifications.

Isolated older Australians will soon be able to participate in online learning activities on the Internet.

The Project, U3A Online, is a project that celebrates IYOP and is funded by the Commonwealth Government of Australia. The funding will allow isolated people to take part at no charge in this initial trial, but participants will need home or community access to the Internet and email. The courses will be restricted to isolated older people who cannot attend "ordinary" U3A classes due to mobility difficulties or geographic isolation.

U3A Online is keen to enrol participants in the two pilot courses on "Creative Writing" and "Australian Plants". If you feel you meet the enrolment criteria and you have access to email and the Internet, please register your interest with Sandra Duke, Project Coordinator by 20 February 1999. Email: s.duke@aaace.asn.au
Telephone (02) 6251 7785
or Fax (02) 6251 7933.

Older Women Take The Plunge

The Older Women's Network is planning its AGM to be held in Canberra in October 1999. The conference will feature older women sky-diving onto the lawns of Parliament House as well as a concert to celebrate older female musicians and performers. OWN is currently seeking funding to bring together the theatre groups from each state.

For more information contact Mrs Jean Wilkinson on tel/fax (03) 9326 1154.

National Seniors Canberra Convention

National Seniors Association (NSA) is having a national IYOP convention in Canberra on 14-15th October, 1999. NSA has extended an invitation to non-member individuals and groups to attend. Bus tours to Canberra for the Convention and Spring Carnival and Floriade have been organised to leave Melbourne 13 October 1999. Tour extensions from Tasmania and Adelaide have also been arranged to coincide with the Melbourne tour departure times.

If partners wish to attend the Convention and not participate in the tour arrangements, they can register their interest for the convention direct through the NSA office in their state.

For further information about the bus tours and the NSA convention contact Mrs Helen Matthews,
NSA Victoria on Tel: (03) 9620 1311
or Fax: (03) 9620 1399.

Hearing Effective Communication

Hearing well is the key to effective communication. One in ten Australians report that they have difficulty hearing and for people over the age of 65, the incidence is between 30-40%. Australian Hearing is the largest provider of hearing services within the Commonwealth Government funded Hearing Services program and has helped over one million Australian adults over the last ten years. The network of Australian Hearing centres has been growing steadily for over fifty years to provide the best hearing health care, the latest in hearing aid technology and has become a world leader in hearing research.

During 1999, Australian Hearing will work in partnership with Australian communities to highlight the important issues of hearing and communication. The focus of 1999 will be achievements, technology and research. Contact: Lee-Anne Sargeant on mobile: 0419 010 417 email: lee-anne.sargeant.hearing.com.au website: www.hearing.com.au

Call For Abstracts

The Australian Cancer Society is holding a national conference entitled "Cancer: We Care" in Randwick, NSW from 13 - 16 July 1999. Key issues to be covered include survivorship/living with cancer, treatment advances, recognising the carer, advocacy and communication skills. The ACS would like to hear from people who may be interested in presenting a paper or a plenary session. The deadline for abstracts is Friday 26 February 1999.

For more information, please contact Emma Mesaros at ACS on (02) 9380 9022 or by email at: acspo@cancer.org.au

Nursing Publications & Conference

In March the Royal College of Nursing will publish "Aged Care - A Contemporary View" which includes content written by nurses and consumers from a variety of backgrounds and different perspectives. The College has also published a Discussion Paper on Ageism and Nursing Practice which explores indicators of ageism as well as actions required to be taken by nurses to challenge ageism.

Both the book and the discussion paper can be ordered from Karen Miller at the College on telephone: (02) 6283 3416

or email: karenm@rcna.org.au

The Royal College of Nursing has just released the preliminary program for its conference "Aged Care Nursing: 2010 - Odyssey or Eclipse?" The conference will be held at Rydges, Canberra on 18-19 March 1999. This promises to be an exciting conference for professionals and consumers alike, and will feature national and international speakers committed to excellence in aged care. The focus will be on achieving outcomes to develop medium and long term strategies to ensure a healthy future for us all. The Opening Address will be given by The Hon. Bronwyn Bishop.

Enquiries to the Conference Coordinator:
Tel: (02) 6283 2423 or email: conf@rcna.org.au

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