Advocare celebrates its new status as WA Seniors Peak Body with guests from seniors and community groups, the aged care sector, and the Minister for Seniors and Ageing, Hon Don Punch MLA during Seniors Week (10-17 November).
Advocare will represent the interests of more than 400,000 WA seniors to help ensure they are supported, connected and heard.
CEO Bev Jowle said of her first official event leading Advocare, “We are excited and honoured to be named as WA’s new independent Seniors Peak Body and look forward to marking the occasion with valued colleagues, sector partners and supporters.”
“As an extension of our current advocacy role in aged care, we want to be a strong voice for all older people in WA, identifying their concerns and presenting these views and possible solutions to allow older people to thrive”, added Bev.
One of the first, key priorities for Advocare as peak body will be to form two reference groups: a Seniors Reference Group, for individuals; and a Senior Sector Group for organisations supporting older people.
In early 2025, these reference groups aim to give vital representation to older people on relevant issues including those who identify from Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) and LGBTIQA+ and Gender Diverse backgrounds, those living with a disability and older West Australians with little to no support networks.
Special guest Seniors and Ageing Minister Don Punch said:
“I look forward to continuing to work with Advocare to provide a strong voice for older Western Australians and creating a community in which older people feel valued, safe, and empowered to live fulfilling lives in age-friendly communities.
“The seniors peak body plays an important role in representing and advocating for older people across the State to help ensure they are supported and thriving.”
The Seniors Peak Body WA is an initiative of ‘An Age-Friendly WA: State Seniors Strategy’ a 10-year whole-of-government strategy developed by the Department of Communities to support older Western Australians to live their best life as they age.
The Seniors Peak Body WA launch event took place on Thursday 14 November 2024 at Advocare’s Head Office in Victoria Park.