Australian & New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine

10/06/2025

Monash Uni has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing to update the 2016 Clinical Practice Guidelines and Principles of Care for People with Dementia.

Join this third webinar to find out how people impacted by dementia are contributing to the development and implementation of the guidelines.

Date: Thursday 26 June
Register here: https://monash.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1p2KBtzdRSaBHhJ7AjiUrA #/registration

05/06/2025

The Federal Government announced yesterday a four-month delay to the implementation of the new Aged Care Act, including the Support at Home program. The legislation, originally set to commence on 1 July 2025, will now take effect from 1 November 2025.

The ANZSGM welcomes this decision. It reflects feedback from clinicians, aged care providers, and advocacy groups who have raised concerns about the pace of reform and the readiness of the sector.

ANZSGM President Dr Rob O’Sullivan said the delay is a prudent step. "This extension gives the sector much-needed time to ensure that older Australians are fully informed, providers are adequately prepared, and that we avoid disruption to care during the transition."

Alongside other organisations, the ANZSGM calls for clear communication and adequate lead time to support a successful rollout of the new system. We urge the Government to use this additional window to engage meaningfully with clinicians, ensure provider readiness, and invest in workforce training.

The ANZSGM will continue to advocate with sector partners for a smooth and effective implementation of the Act.

Read the open letter from Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Sam Rae MP here:

This open letter from Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, Sam Rae MP outlines how the new Aged Care Act brief deferral will impact older people.

02/05/2025

Dr Robert O'Sullivan, President of the ANZSGM, comments on low COVID-19 booster rates in aged care and older Australians ahead of winter - ABC News

Less than half of Australia's aged care residents aged 75 years and older are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, despite being at highest risk of severe health outcomes.

04/04/2025

📢 Consultation on Assignment of Medicare Benefits for Simplified Billing Services:

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care is modernising and simplifying the assignment of benefit process by creating solutions that will streamline Medicare billing for bulk billed and simplified billing services. The Health Insurance Legislation Amendment (Assignment of Medicare Benefits) Act 2024, which was passed by Parliament on 2 July 2024, with Royal Assent provided on 9 July 2024, provides the basis for this work. This amends the Health Insurance Act 1973 and changes will commence on 9 January 2026, unless proclaimed earlier.

Stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on the proposed changes to regulations and digital systems for hospital and hospital-substitute services claimed through simplified billing. Your feedback will inform consideration of the proposed changes and how to best implement them.

📅 Submissions are due by 28 March 2025.

Learn more here - https://consultations.health.gov.au/medical-benefits-division/aob-simplified-billing-feb-2025/

23/01/2025

Our next flagship 3-day conference is the BGS Spring Meeting 2025 taking place on 9-11 April in Belfast.

The programme for the event is now online. Highlights include sessions on major trauma and falls, movement disorders, dementia, end of life care, and many more. We also look forward to keynote speeches from Dr Jeremy Isaacs and Dr Jennifer Burns, plus the conference dinner!

Find out more and register: https://buff.ly/4g2Tqml

07/11/2024

The full program for the Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission - National Medicines Symposium 2024 is live!

This year's Symposium, themed Appropriate Use of Medicines in an Ageing Population, brings together a diverse array of experts, healthcare leaders, and innovators for an engaging and impactful day of learning and discussion.

View the program & more info here - https://safetyandquality.tv/national-medicines-symposium-2024/

05/11/2024

Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care🌟Star Ratings helps older people to research and compare the quality of care, safety & services of aged care homes across Australia.

Learn more & download the Stakeholder Kit to support you in talking with your networks. Visit www.health.gov.au/StarRatings for more info.

27/09/2024

Amidst calls for designated hospitals for older patients to alleviate chronic bed shortages and ambulance ramping, ANZSGM President, Rob O’Sullivan helps explain the role of the hospital system in looking after older people and why systemic change is needed.

Read the article below 👇

The head of one of the busiest emergency departments in Australia is calling for a designated hospital for older patients to alleviate chronic bed shortages and ambulance ramping across the country.

13/09/2024

The "10 Questions to Ask" series launch is on Tue 1 Oct - This is a supportive and informative event hosted by Health Consumers NSW and Palliative Care NSW, dedicated to helping families navigate the complexities of Aged Care.

Learn about guest speakers and key topics via the link: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-aged-care-tickets-979305889277?aff=oddtdtcreator

Learn more about the 10 Questions series here: https://www.10questions.org.au

31/07/2024

We’re excited to introduce DREAM. This government-funded education program aims to help aged care workers deliver high-quality, dementia-specific respite care.

It’s free for all aged care workers and organisations and offers:
✅ tailored, innovative education about respite care
✅ an online forum to enhance connections with the wider dementia respite community
✅ coaching sessions where you can ask questions and get support.

This new, first-of-its-kind training program was developed by the Wicking Dementia Centre at the University of Tasmania in partnership with Dementia Support Australia

Learn more at 💻 dream.utas.edu.au

29/07/2024

"It's a feeling of empowered relevance — I still matter, I have things to offer, I want to be able to tell my story."

A new seniors' podcast aims to ease loneliness by sharing inspiring stories from nursing home residents.

A new podcast series is enabling seniors to share stories from their lives in a bid to beat loneliness in aged care homes. And it's amazing what some people have done over the years.

18/07/2024

Join the Australasian Delirium Association for a deep dive into critical care delirium alongside esteemed national and international experts. Delve into crucial topics including managing distress, interdisciplinary care, environmental considerations, delirium recognition, pharmacotherapy, and perioperative care. Engage with cutting-edge research and gain interdisciplinary perspectives that will elevate your understanding of delirium care. 🧠💡

Date: Monday 21st October 2024
Time: 9am - 4pm
Location: Hillstone, St Lucia, Queensland and Online
More Info: https://lnkd.in/gY2ES-Mp