The pandemic has affected our health, how we live, socialise, and how we connect with each other. We are helping the Australian Mental Health Commission to study these changes. Our part of the larger project focuses on the experience of people over 75.
We introduced this project in the September newsletter. Since then, we have:
- Set up a project advisory panel. These older Australians work with COTA Australia’s project team to inform and guide the project.
- Begun to gather facts about how the pandemic is affecting people. We’ve heard stories about it means to live with an invisible threat, but also about resilience. Many older people want to share their wisdom and experience of living with COVID for the benefit of all.
- Presented these themes and findings at a roundtable run by the National Mental Health Commission. We also heard from the other groups on the impacts on diverse groups of Australians.
We want to ensure that the wisdom, lived experiences and strategies of older Australians inform Australia’s future responses to pandemics. The Australian Mental Health Commission will use our findings to improve their National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan for older Australians.
Your story is valuable. To share your story and wisdom, you can take part through:
- Online and phone surveys
- Submissions
- Interviews
- Focus groups
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