South Australians are living longer than ever before. Good brain health sets people up for better lives as they age. More than 433,000 Australians live with a dementia diagnosis and it is estimated that more than 1.7 million people are impacted as carers. These numbers are growing rapidly and particularly in South Australia; the oldest demographic mainland state. This is why action on brain health is so important.

COTA SA is calling for South Australian Action on Brain Health — a strategic state-wide focus on brain health to complement the National Dementia Action Plan. This includes better training for health and aged care staff, stronger support for carers, improved risk reduction and brain health promotion, dementia-positive communities, and coordinated planning and service delivery across government and the community.

Our vision is inspired by the success of our State Autism Strategy and builds on the national framework through whole-of-government and whole-of-community collaboration, ensuring coordination across departments, local government, community organisations, and research institutions.

Later life can bring major transitions such as health challenges, ageism in the workplace, caring responsibilities and housing insecurity. Under these pressures, older South Australians who haven’t previously needed support can quickly become overwhelmed or unsure how to access the help available.

To address these gaps, COTA SA is proposing a Life Navigation Service, a tailored support model designed by, with and for older South Australians. This service would offer practical one-on-one guidance, help people understand and access financial supports and community services, and provide peer support from those with lived experience. The service would act as an early-help model and would empower people, reduce stress, support wellbeing and independence, and offer a safety net to help people get back on their feet.

As we age, our goal is to live well and maintain good health and independence, but unfortunately for some, declining health and chronic conditions impact wellbeing and quality of life. Emergency visits to hospital have become a regular occurrence for a significant proportion of older people as they manage chronic illness and declining health.

Emergency transportation to hospital via ambulance with the state’s highly regarded paramedics is an integral component of our public health care system, and a lifeline for many older South Australians managing chronic and urgent medical conditions.

While emergency treatment in our public hospitals is free, funded through Medicare, in South Australia the unexpected and unplanned urgent journey to an emergency department is not.

No other state or territory charges full Age Pensioners for emergency ambulance services, and Queensland and Tasmania do not make their residents pay at all for this critical service.

COTA SA is calling for free emergency ambulance services for all full age pensioners, bringing South Australia into line with the rest of the country.

Many older people in regional areas—particularly on the Fleurieu Peninsula, which is home to the oldest community in SA —must travel long distances to Adelaide for medical appointments. The current PATS rules exclude residents who travel less than 100 km each way, leaving many to absorb significant out-of-pocket costs.

COTA SA is calling for the Government to extend PATS eligibility to better reflect the needs of regional communities. This would ensure fairer access to essential medical care, especially for people with chronic or ongoing conditions. No one should miss or delay treatment because they cannot afford to travel.

COTA SA has welcomed election commitments from both major parties to strengthen the Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS). Labor has made a re-election commitment for a four-year $16m expansion to PATS, which includes broadening eligibility for the travel subsidy so patients living between 50km and 100km from their treatment location, and who travel frequently for oncology or renal care, can access support if they clock more than 300km per week. While Labor’s proposed changes come with specific eligibility criteria, this would represent an important step toward improving access to transport, healthcare and cost of living support for people living in South Australia’s oldest region.

The Liberal party has announced a plan to expand PATS eligibility to include those who live between 50 and 100 kilometres from treatment locations, and travel more than 200km in a week for all specialist treatments.

COTA SA is pleased to see PATS reform receiving bi-partisan support. Improving access to the PATS scheme would make a major difference to the ability of older people in regional South Australia to access timely and affordable healthcare.

Many older South Australians tell us that the rising cost of essentials such as groceries, insurance and medical care, are increasing faster than their income. This forces them to make difficult choices that can affect their health and wellbeing.

Although there are state and federal concessions to help ease the financial pressures faced by older South Australians, the system can be complex and hard to navigate. Older people report that they often find it confusing to work out what they might be eligible for, which agency to contact, and there is a lack of clarity around application requirements. Many state government concessions are based on eligibility that has already been established by federal systems, such as the Age Pension, Disability or Veterans status.

By removing unnecessary complexity and better aligning systems, the government can reduce the risk of eligible older South Australians missing out on the support they need.

COTA SA is calling for a simpler, more automated concessions system that links state and federal datasets so people receive the concessions they qualify for, without the burden of excessive paperwork.

We are also calling for support to remove the work limit for Seniors Card eligibility. COTA SA knows that an increasing number of older people remain in the work force into their 60s out of financial necessity. Removing the 20 hour per week work hours cap from Seniors’ Card, will enable all South Australians aged 60+ to access the recognition and benefits our Seniors deserve.