Support for older Tasmanians

I am pleased today to launch the Report – Finding out: supporting older people to access the right information at the right time.

The Report, which provides insights into the experiences of older Tasmanians accessing information, is the culmination of the ‘Finding out’ project within the Tasmanian Government’s Inclusive Ageing Strategy.

Older people are an active and growing part of the Tasmanian community.

Already hosting the ‘oldest population’ of all Australian jurisdictions, Tasmania, by 2056, will have more than 27 per cent of its population aged over 65 years and more than 10 per cent aged over 80.

The Finding Out Report explores some of the issues faced by older Tasmanian when accessing information, including the kinds of information older people want and need, where the information is sought, the barriers experienced in the process and some practical solutions to improve access to information.

The Report notes that in times where much of the available information is provided online, many older people sought information from media, doctors, pharmacies and family more often than they used the internet.

The Report identified barriers faced by older people in finding information and found that these barriers could be reduced through a number of practical changes to existing systems that would help improve access for older Tasmanians, including face-to-face communication options, hard-copy alternatives to online forms and clearer online instructions.

In addition to the Report, a poster has been produced which should prove useful as a reminder to organisations about improving communications with older Tasmanians.

The Report, poster and fact sheets are available on the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s website at www.dpac.tas.gov.au and on COTA Tasmania’s website at www.cotatas.org.au

The Hodgman Liberal Government is a strong supporter of older Tasmanian and providing provided funding of $125,000 per annum to COTA for two years until June 2016 to support the implementation of the Inclusive Ageing Strategy.
Guy Barnett, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier