But many resources are absorbed by people who have been discharged from hospital and have high care needs. Another important issue is the lack of care coordination for people assessed as needing HACC services. COTA has evidence that for some older people care arrangements quickly breakdown where there is no monitoring of access or usage of services after assessment. COTA is asking for an immediate increase in resources for HACC, care coordination and community transport. Employment COTA will be campaigning strongly on employment issues for older people.
Age discrimination is alive and well.
With continuing high levels of unemployment and under-employment many older people will have insufficient assets to have a reasonable standard of living in retirement. This is an emerging trend that will be of immense future significance. COTA will urge the Government to create a specific employment program which provides job placement services, counselling and skills training and up-grading for older people. We are also asking the Government to create and resource an outreach program to community and business to actively foster positive attitudes to older people and to counter age discrimination. The Age Pension COTA believes that there is a need for assistance for people who have no other source of income than the Age Pension and who must depend on this income over a long period of time.