Hunter Ageing Alliance (HAA) is a citizen-formed group that is asking Government, business and organisational leaders to join them to better focus on the needs of older people.
Ageing in the Hunter – some facts
- Soon 1 in 4 people in our community will be aged 65+
- Waiting times for community support services are unacceptable
- Our aged care system is in crisis – underfunded, understaffed, undervalued
- Ageism – discriminates against and devalues older people
- Increasing numbers of older people are in insecure housing or homeless
- Increasing rates of elder abuse – in institutions and by family members.
Hunter voters aged 55+ by Federal electorate
| Electorate | Voters aged 55+ | % total voters |
| Hunter | 51,423 | 41.7% |
| Newcastle | 43,516 | 36.5% |
| Paterson | 52,999 | 42.2% |
| Shortland | 51,726 | 45.2% |
Our Vision
Age-friendly communities mean that planning takes the needs of older people into account, recognising that older people have the same desire to remain physically, intellectually, and socially active as younger people. This requires environmental adaptation, appropriate housing at all levels of affordability, easy access to information about services and facilities for older people, protection from elder abuse, health care services appropriate to the needs of older people and support for socially isolated people to ensure their physical and psychological well-being.
Our Purpose
To foster and facilitate collaboration to develop a community that meets the needs and aspirations of older people and fosters positive attitudes and beliefs about older people.
The way forward
To come together to define local needs and develop an integrated plan with regard to ageing.
Key areas include:
- defining the features of an age-friendly community
- community recognition that older people have the same needs and desires as younger people to be physically, intellectually and socially active
- programs to reduce social isolation, loneliness and vulnerability
- more accommodation where people have their social network
- health services to meet older people’s needs, including chronic disease and dementia
- services to advise people on how to access the aged care system, particularly support at home
- community aged care that helps people to maintain abilities and engage with life.
- residential aged care that meets differing needs for those with advanced medical and nursing needs, dementia, chronic mental illness, and intellectual disability
- programs to minimise elder abuse
- end-of-life care that includes appropriate planning, physical care, companionship, palliative care, and assisted dying when appropriate.
Founding Members
HAA was founded in 2021 by:
- Dr John Ward, Geriatrician
- Viv Allanson OAM, CEO Maroba Aged Care Facility
- Emeritus Professor Julie Byles AO, Global Innovation Chair in Responsive Transitions in Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Hunter Medical Research Institute
- Catherine Henry, Health & Aged Care Lawyer and aged care advocate
HAA Committee
Office Bearers:
- President – Emeritus Professor Julie Byles AO, Global Innovation Chair in Responsive Transitions in Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Hunter Medical Research Institute
- Vice President – Dr John Ward, Geriatrician
- Treasurer – Viv Allanson OAM, CEO Maroba Aged Care Facility
- Secretary – Maria Gorton
- Public Officer and Ordinary Committee Member – Catherine Henry, Health & Aged Care Lawyer and aged care advocate
Ordinary Committee Members:
- Samantha Farham, Home Instead
- Dr Catherine Chojenta, University of Newcastle
- Professor Frini Karayanidis, University of Newcastle
- Elizabeth Delaney
- Janice Besch
- Margaret Wood
- Ash Dunleavy
- John Burnell
Join Hunter Ageing Alliance and show your commitment to better plan to support older people of Newcastle and the Hunter region by becoming a Member or a Friend of the Alliance.
Click here to become a Member.
Click here to become a Friend of the Alliance.
Hunter Ageing Alliance 