Churches of Christ Care welcomes the guardianship, particularly relating to opportunity to comment on the Australian developing a national online register of enduring documents. The following Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) discussion paper on elder abuse. We are provides comment on selected proposals committed to achieving a future where all and responds to key questions. people are safe, respected, and free from Question 5-1: Who should access the violence and abuse, and preventing and online register responding to elder abuse is a key part of Churches of Christ Care recommends this. approved aged care providers be given Churches of Christ Care supports a access to the national register of enduring number of the proposals made by the documents. ALRC and believe they will improve In practice, people and their family safeguards for older people at risk of members often have difficulties locating abuse. We also note that in some these documents, which can delay the instances, the proposed changes could start of service delivery. Also, people often unintentionally act as a deterrent for family believe they have certain decision-making members to take on enduring powers, powers, but when documents are sighted diverting this responsibility back to the their delegated powers vary in scope. state. For these changes to be successful, Having access to this register would allow it is vital they are accompanied by approved providers to confirm who has appropriate resourcing for state and delegated decision-making powers and territory authorities so they can respond to involve the right people at appropriate community demand and prevent abuse. points of assessment, planning and National plan care. This would give greater efficiency during intake and assessment Churches of Christ Care supports the access phases, improving people’s timely to develop a national ALRC’s proposal to services. plan to address elder abuse. Given the Proposal 5-7: Eligibility for being an range of state and territory laws and enduring attorney or guardian funding arrangements for delivering health Churches of Christ Care recommends and aged care, this will contribute to a being a respondent to an active or recent coordinated, strategic approach to protection order related to domestic and addressing elder abuse. family violence is considered as an Enduring powers of additional criteria for excluding someone attorney and enduring from being an enduring attorney or guardian. guardianship Churches of Christ Care generally supports the relating to ALRC’s proposals powers of attorney and enduring
Churches of Christ Care welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Australian Law Reform Commission’s (ALRC) discussion paper on elder abuse. We are committed to achieving a future where all people are safe, respected, and free from violence and abuse, and preventing and responding to elder abuse is a key part of this. Churches of Christ Care supports a number of the proposals made by the ALRC and believe they will improve safeguards for older people at risk of abuse. We also note that in some instances, the proposed changes could unintentionally act as a deterrent for family members to take on enduring powers, diverting this responsibility back to the state. For these changes to be successful, it is vital they are accompanied by appropriate resourcing for state and territory authorities so they can respond to community demand and prevent abuse. National plan Churches of Christ Care supports the ALRC’s proposal to develop a national plan to address elder abuse. Given the range of state and territory laws and funding arrangements for delivering health and aged care, this will contribute to a coordinated, strategic approach to addressing elder abuse. Enduring powers of attorney and enduring guardianship Churches of Christ Care generally supports the ALRC’s proposals relating to powers of attorney and enduring guardianship, particularly relating to developing a national online register of enduring documents. The following provides comment on selected proposals and responds to key questions. Question 5-1: Who should access the online register Churches of Christ Care recommends approved aged care providers be given access to the national register of enduring documents. In practice, people and their family members often have difficulties locating these documents, which can delay the start of service delivery. Also, people often believe they have certain decision-making powers, but when documents are sighted their delegated powers vary in scope. Having access to this register would allow approved providers to confirm who has delegated decision-making powers and involve the right people at appropriate points of assessment, planning and care. This would give greater efficiency during intake and assessment phases, improving people’s timely access to services. Proposal 5-7: Eligibility for being an enduring attorney or guardian Churches of Christ Care recommends being a respondent to an active or recent protection order related to domestic and family violence is considered as an additional criteria for excluding someone from being an enduring attorney or guardian.
254._churches_of_christ_care.docx