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The focus of this web page is to provide a list web sites of particular interest to those working in research and policy concerning older people, as well as sites specifically by or for older people.
All links have been visited and chosen on the basis of their content and many are good starting points for locating other sites in an area. COTA is not responsible for the contents of any 'off site' web pages referred from this server.
See also COTA's list of web sites which offer Australian fact sheets on ageing and aged care.
Australia
Overseas
Older people on the Net
- Australia
About Seniors
- A commercial site which does not require membership, containing links and contacts for information relevant to older people - from government and organisations to lifestyle interests. http://www.aboutseniors.com.au
- Aims to provide a source of information on the range of services, resources and facilities available to the older people living in the ACT. http://www.act.gov.au
- The peak organisation for adult and community education providers and others interested in adult or lifelong learning. http://www.ala.asn.au/
- ALA manages projects such as Learning Circles ( http://www.learningcircles.org.au/ ); The DiAL - the national Directory of Adult Learning, ( http://www.thedial.com.au/ ); OPAL - a program which aims to improve adult learning opportunities available to older people, established by the Asian South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education ( http://www.ala.asn.au/opal/ ).
- Information on the activities, programs, publications etc of the federal department responsible for aged care in Australia. http://www.health.gov.au/acc/
- Australia's national peak body of not for profit church, charitable and community providers of aged care services. http://www.agedcare.org.au/
- An independent body responsible for managing the accreditation process and ongoing supervision and support for aged care homes in Australia. Provides lists of accredited homes and search access to reports about individual homes. http://www.accreditation.aust.com
- The national site, which links to State branches with a wealth of practical information sheets, reading guides and links to dementia sites around the world. http://www.alzheimers.org.au
- http://www.over50s.asn.au
- http://www.superannuation.asn.au/
- http://www.aag.asn.au
- Australian Coalition '99 was a consortium of non-government organisations promoting the International Year of Older Persons 1999. The best site to check IYOP activities, with a calendar of events, online newsletter, lots of information on positive ageing and and many links. http://avoca.vicnet.net.au/~ac99
- Information about the federal government, parliament and legislature, departments and agencies, government publications, media releases. The site has keyword search facilities across most government web sites, a government-wide telephone directory, alphabetical list of links to agency pages and to 'what's new' pages of agency sites. http://www.fed.gov.au/
- Provides government funded hearing services to any children and young adults up to the age of 21 as well as to approx. 200,000 aged pensioners and veterans. http://www.hearing.com.au
- Was an independent statutory authority supporting Australian family research, policy and practice, in 2002 became a Commonwealth Government agency. Its site provides information about their publications, databases, courses and conferences, and gives access to its national Family Information Centre catalogue. http://www.aifs.gov.au/
- Australia's national agency for health and welfare statistics and information. The site includes lists and full text publications, including its two key biannual reports - Australia's Health and Australia's Welfare, plus a series of fact sheets called Older Australians at a Glance. http://www.aihw.gov.au/
- http://www.asgm.org.au
- Australia's peak body, national voice and focus for carers and carers' issues. http://www.carers.asn.au/
- Hosts and provides links to the Australian Association of Gerontology, the International Association of Gerontology and the South Australian Network for Research on Ageing (SANRA). http://www.cera.usyd.edu.au/
- The research unit of Bundoora Extended Care Centre, part of Northern Health in Victoria http://www.nh.org.au/Research_Edu/resBECC/default.htm
- A joint centre of the University of Sydney Department of Medicine and Concord Repatriation General Hospital, a unit of Central Sydney Area Health Service.
- Retirement section of the service delivery agency of the Cw Dept of Family and Community Services (FaCS), responsible for income support payments and services.
- http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/individuals/ret_index.htm
- The Centres act as a single point of contact, providing information and guidance about community care services and aged care homes available in the local community.
- http://www.commcarelink.health.gov.au
- Freecall 1800 052 222
- A section under "support for the aged" has a number of on-line publications on topics such as housing choices and investment options for older people at www.facs.gov.au/internet/facsinternet.nsf/whatfacsdoes/ESP-SupptAged.htm
- Information on the Acknowledging Older Australians package of measures for older Australians announced in the 2001-2002 Budget is at www.facs.gov.au.seniors
- http://www.health.gov.au/
- See below for the Office for an Ageing Australia.
- http://www.dva.gov.au/
- An on-line gateway for consumers with access to a growing number of external dispute resolution schemes, codes of conduct and codes of practice, customer contracts and other customer initiatives. http://www.complaintline.com.au/
- The Office investigates straightforward and complex complaints from people who believe they have been unfairly treated by the aged care Complaints Resolution Scheme. Its role is to provide policy advice to the Minister for Ageing and the Secretary of the Department of Health and Ageing in relation to the Complaints Resolution Scheme. The site includes fact sheets about the Scheme ranging from the overall process through to Review of Determinations and statistics about the operation of the Scheme, with information such as how many complaints were received in each of the States and Territories. The freecall no. is 1800 500 294. http://www.cfc.health.gov.au
- The Commonwealth Government's One-Stop-Shop for Consumer Protection in Australia. The A-Z of online consumer resources contains annotated links to Australian government and Australian non-government websites and web pages, plus online publications. http://www.consumersonline.gov.au/
- Represents consumers on national health issues. Provides links to health-related sites. http://www.chf.org.au/Index.htm
- http://www.contfound.org.au
- An information service located on the Far North Coast of NSW. One of their fact sheets has a useful list of "rural friendly" telephone services. http://www.daisi.asn.au/
- Centre for Elder Law at the University of Western Sydney, new in 2001. Useful links to sites carrying material on legal issues eg aged care regulation, guardianship, discrimination. http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/
- A Disability Portal and created and maintained by the Disability Information & Resource Centre (DIRC) in South Australia and launched in March 2002. Provides an access point to over 2700 websites which are summarised and indexed in subject areas. News, events, chat and message make it an on-line community for people with an interest in disability. http://www.enable.net.au
- A non-government health policy and research centre. http://home.vicnet.net.au/~hissues/
- A Commonwealth Government initiative, at the Department of Health and Aged Care, which provides a single gateway to up-to-date, quality assured information on health topics, linking to over 50 web sites from Australia's leading health organisations.
- Searchable site which collects a range of information on ageing from other websites. http://www.healthyageing.com.au
- HREOC administers federal legislation in the area of human rights, anti-discrimination, social justice and privacy. Its Human Rights for Older Australians page at http://www.humanrights.gov.au/human_rights/older_australians/index.html is a good place to start, linking to reports on age discrimination such as Age Matters? a report on age discrimination launched on 18 July 2000 at COTA (Australia), and its inquiry into Accessibility of electronic commerce and new service and information technologies for older Australians and people with a disability - report released on 8 June 2000 and available online, along with the submissions made. Start at http://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/inquiries/ecom/ecom.html for a very useful page of resources on e-commerce accessibility, and news of the Accessible ecommerce forum on which COTA represents older people.
- The Australian Government site is no longer available. Check Australian Coalition '99 listed above, and the United Nations IYOP site below.
- http://www.facs.gov.au/internet/facsinternet.nsf/aboutfacs/programs/community-iyv_nav.htm
- http://www.latrobe.edu.au/aipc/lgc.htm
- A free site specially designed for senior Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to email, chat and explore the Internet in their own language. Developed by Online Australia and the Federation of Ethnic Communities' Councils of Australia (FECCA) for IYOP. http://www.multiculturalaustralia.com.au
- Site contains a searchable database of health topics which can be viewed, downloaded and printed in languages other than English. http://mhcs.health.nsw.gov.au/
- An Ausralian healthcare website with two main target audiences - health consumers and health profesionals, which balances commercial interests wtih delivery of unbiased, commercial free content. Rated the third most popular website in Australia for health information (Hitwise, Oct-Dec 2001) .http://www.mydr.com.au
- http://www.noie.gov.au
- One of their projects working to identify barriers preventing equitable access to the Internet is Older Australians Online - http://www.noie.gov.au/projects/access/Connecting_Communities/older_aust.htm
- Conducts medical research (biological, clinical and service delivery) into the causes and consequences of ageing and its social implications. http://www.nari.unimelb.edu.au
- NPS is a non-profit organisation independent of government and the pharmaceutical industry. Launched in 1998, its goal is to improve the health of Australians through quality prescribing of medicines. It provides access to independent, balanced, critically appraised information on medicines to prescribers and consumers. Its Medicines Line (launched 2002) at 1300 888 763 offers independent information for the cost of a local call.
- http://www.nps.org.au
- http://www.nationalseniors.com.au
- A network of services set up in 2001 throughout Australia that provides free and independent information, advice and representation to individuals about Social Security law and its administration through Centrelink. http://www.welfarerights.org.au/
- At the Institute for Rural Futures, University of New England, NEAT brings together a range of people in Australia and world-wide with an interest in the implications and use of technology with, by and for the benefit of, older people. http://www.ruralfutures.une.edu.au/about/socimpact/retire/neat/neat.html
- Undergoing redevelopment during 2002-3, to merge existing websites.
- The old Ageing and Disability Department http://www.add.nsw.gov.au/ still provides the information on strategic policy, planning, and funding for older people, plus publications.
It includes a page on the Seniors Information Service at http://www.add.nsw.gov.au/sis.html which lists frequently asked questions.- New Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care http://www.dadhc.nsw.gov.au/
- Advises the Government on matters affecting the needs and interests of older people in NSW. Includes details of consultations and research publications. http://www.coa.nsw.gov.au/
- The Northern Territory Government established the Office of Senior Territorians in 1998. http://www.senior.territorians.nt.gov.au/
- A division of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care. Includes policy and research publications, such as the National Strategy for an Ageing Australia papers. http://www.olderaustralians.gov.au
- http://www.osi.wa.gov.au/
- http://www.health.gov.au/pbs/
- Clicking on Seniors Interests takes you to Seniors Interests Branch (previously Office of Ageing), http://www.families.qld.gov.au/
- Queensland's a new website in 2002 to assist people to plan for retirement is at www.families.qld.gov.au/retirement.
- http://www.rvaa.com.au
- A usseful resource for prospective retirement village residents and their families with a range of features. These include a free online Departure Fee calculator; information sheets (hostels, nursing homes, moving house); and directories of established villages, new villages and staged developments, properties on the market, and experienced law firms.
- http://www.itsyourlife.com.au/
- Information about the nationwide network of advocacy services, and about the ways that advocacy services can assist older people (or their representatives). http://www.agedrights.asn.au/
- - includes a searchable directory of research projects in South Australia, fact sheets, links to research organisations around the world, back copies of its newsletter and diary notes of events. http://www.cas.flinders.edu.au/sanra/
- Welcome to Seniors Card which administers the card at http://www.seniorscard.com.au/ - links to all state and territory offices.
- Includes fact sheets about frequently asked questions. Tel. 13 12 44 http://www.add.nsw.gov.au/sis.html
- 'One stop shop' information source for older Queenslanders. Tel.1300 135 500.
- http://www.seniorsenquiryline.com.au
- Includes vacancies in residential care in South Australia and full-text fact sheets on health and
- well-being topics. http://www.seniors.asn.au/
- 'One stop shop' information source for older Victorians. Tel.1300 13 50 90.
- http://www.cotavic.org.au/info/siv.html
- A single government resource site "created to provide a simplified approach for consumers, professionals and community members to search on-line for care related government and agency information services and policies regarding Older Australians." Has some way to go before information is up-to-date and comprehensive. http://www.seniors.gov.au
- Fifty-Plus News - monthly. Includes an archive of COTA comment articles. http://www.fiftyplusnews.com/
- Part of the SA Department of Human Services. http://www.sacentral.sa.gov.au/agencies/oca/oca.htm
- A free statewide telephone information and referral service for elderly people, younger people with disabilities, and their carers, auspiced by COTA Tasmania. The ADCIS Directory of organisations and services is available online or as a PC version by subscription. http://www.adcis.org.au
- Part of the Department of Health and Human Services; provides full text publications and fact sheets. http://www.dhhs.tas.gov.au/seniors/
- An interdisciplinary research centre for the study of ageing and retirement established in the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences at the University of New South Wales in 2000.
- http://www.arts.unsw.edu.au/ageing/
- Universities of the Third Age. The site includes a directory of Australia and New Zealand U3As, and calendar of U3A events.A centrepiece of the project is a program of special short courses, originally devised to allow older members of the community who are isolated, either geographically or through physical or social circumstances, to enjoy some of the advantages of membership of an ordinary University of the Third Age. The courses are now available to everyone. http://u3aonline.edna.edu.au/
- http://www.vicnet.net.au/
- Victorian State Government's aged care site, with information relating to aged care programs, policies and services, aprt of the Rural & Regional Health & Aged Care Services (RRHACS) Division. http://www.health.vic.gov.au/agedcare/
- It links to the Office for Senior Victorians at http://www.seniors.vic.gov.au/home.htm
- http://www.warwidowsnsw.com.au
- The National Welfare Rights Network (NWRN) is a network of services throughout Australia that provides free and independent information, advice and representation to individuals about Social Security law and its administration through Centrelink. http://www.welfarerights.org.au/
- Overseas
- AARP is the leading organization for people age 50 and older in the United States and offers members a wide range of special benefits and services. The comprehensive website includes the AARP Guide to Internet Resources Related to Aging - information (US-centric) about what's on the Internet about ageing. http://www.aarp.org/cyber/guide1.htm
AARP Office of International Affairs launched www.aarp.org/international in September 2002 "to serve as a resource and dialogue hub for the global aging community". It features daily headline news, research reports, events and organisations.
- A national charity (UK's National Council on Ageing), which aims to promote the well-being of all older people, and involve them in all aspects of society. This site contains over many pages of practical information and advice about older people and the issues that concern them, their families and the community. The library provides online factsheets and reading lists. Good starting point for links to sites in UK. http://www.ace.org.uk/
- Information and resources on Age Concern's work, and older people and ageing issues in New Zealand. Good for finding links to other relevant NZ sites. http://www.ageconcern.org.nz/
- World wide information on issues related to minority ethnic older persons. There are only 2 Australian items ( a project and one linked site), so COTA suggests Australian organisations send contributions, as invited by the site. http://www.aeweb.org/
- Canada's national advocacy organization for Canadians over 50, with 1000 pages of information. The site is called Fifty-Plus Net. http://www.fifty-plus.net/
- A site which goes beyond the usual "brochure" look of government sites to drill to information on seniors programs at federal, provincial and territorial government level. Hosted by Health Canada (see below) but a great co-oeprative model developed by all government levels http://www.sppd.gc.ca/default_e.html
- CPA is a United Kingdom charity which was originally established in 1947 as the National Corporation for the Care of Old People. CPA Library and Information Service produce AgeInfo - searchable databases of over 32,000 books and articles, available on CD-ROM and as a 'limited edition' free service on the Internet. http://www.cpa.org.uk/
- A directory of aging related links in key areas grouped by subject matter; the default site for 2 directories originally compiled by Bruce Craig and Joyce Post. http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov/agingsites/default.htm
- A paper on the Agelight site at http://www.agelight.org/webdesign.htm ) which seems to replace the original white paper by Microsoft (Designing Websites for Older Adults) on the Microsoft 1999 portal site for seniors, now closed. The paper provides steps for increasing website readability and accessibility. Another example is Older adults and the world wide web: a guide for web site creators at the Spry Foundation (USA) website ( http://www.spry.org/) available online after registration of request.
- Elderhostel is an American not-for-profit educational and travel organization dedicated to providing extraordinary learning adventures for people 55 and over, world-wide. There are walking, cycling, train trekking, intergenerational and service programs as well as traditional tours. http://www.elderhostel.org/
- A network of organisations and individuals that promotes good policy and practice on ageing in the interests of the 120 million older people in the European Union. Previously a site in its own right, from 2002 it is part of Age Conern's site, at http://www.ageconcern.org.uk/ageconcern/about_618.htm http://www.eurolinkage.org/
- Originally at Netherlands Institute of Gerontology, which discontinued in 2000. Now at
- NIZW Kenniscentrum Ouderen (Dutch Knowledge Centre on the Elderly).
- http://www.kenniscentrum-ouderen.nl/kco/geronlib/
- A multidisciplinary organisation dedicated to the scientific study of ageing and the dissemination of research for policy and practice. The site has a regular Internet column which is an electronic supplement to the Journal on Internet Resources on Ageing. http://www.geron.org/
- An online resource sponsored by Wayne State University Institute of Gerontology in Detroit. The GeroWeb Virtual Library on Aging is designed to be browsed by researchers, educators, practitioners and anyone interested in ageing and older people. http://www.iog.wayne.edu/GeroWebd/GeroWeb.html
- Provides federal leadership in all areas to do with ageing and seniors; includes the National Advisory Council on Aging formed in 1980. Provides useful links pages. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/seniors-aines/
- A global network of not-for-profit organisations in over 70 countries, with a mission to work with and for disadvantaged older people worldwide to achieve a lasting improvement in the quality of their lives. The Secretariat is based in London. http://www.helpage.org/
- http://www.helpageasia.com/
- A UK-based charity which provides practical support to help older people live independent lives, particularly those who are frail, isolated or poor. http://www.helptheaged.org.uk
- http://www.ifa-fiv.org
- Maintained by the United Nations. http://www.iyv2001.org/
- Originally compiled by Joyce Post, United States' Administration on Aging, this directory of over 2000 links to world sites which include metasites, web sites, e-mail discussion groups/listservs, freenet, commercial online services. Other categories are associations and conferences, educational programs, government agencies and organisations, online and regular publications, research, and country subdivisions. http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov/aoa/pages/jpostlst.html
Due to the increasing number of web sites on ageing, this site is no longer maintained since March 1999, but defaults to the Administration on Aging's "Web sites on aging" at http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov/agingsites/default.htm- A news service on issues related to the ageing society, compiled and edited by senior journalists across Europe and the US. News stories and reports may be re-published and distributed with proper credits. Includes information on a media and diversity training program. Links to sites in countries in Europe. http://www.mediaage.net
- A non-profit senior's association of organizations and professionals dedicated to promoting the dignity, self-determination, and well being of older persons,based in Washington, USA. http://www.ncoa.org/
- A business unit of the Ministry of Health, the Medsafe site provides free, unbiased information to health professionals and consumers about the safe use of therapeutic products - medicines, herbal remedies, medical devices and controlled drugs used as medicines. Included on this page because there are currently no Australian sites providing such medicine information for consumers and prescribers, particularly on adverse affects. http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/indexie4.htm
- Launched its Positive Ageing Strategy in April 2001, available online with other publications. http://www.mosp.govt.nz/
- Co-operative effort of the US National Institute on Aging and the Administration on Aging. The directory contains details of US organisations which provide information and other resources on matters relevant to the needs of older people. http://www.aoa.dhhs.gov/aoa/resource.html
- http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/ageing/index.html
- Includes the archived site International Year of Older Persons 1999 at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/iyop/
- http://www.who.int/m/topics/ageing/en/index.html - links to the Ageing and Life Course programme at http://www.who.int/hpr/ageing/index.htm
- Older people on the Net
- Australia
- ASCCA was formed to bring together the individual Computer Clubs for Seniors. The invitation is extended to all Computer Clubs for Seniors to share their activities and be part of the network. A Development Kit for starting a club is available online. http://www.seniorcomputing.org
- A site developed by Mercy Community Services with an IYOP grant from the Office of Seniors Interests. It is designed to help older people get connected, chat on line and link up with useful websites. http://www.netfx.com.au/cyberseniors/
- A Sydney-based senior citizens web site, designed, built and managed by and for senior citizens who have an interest in computers and the Internet. http://www.endeavour-web.org/
- A commercial site run by senior Ray Lewis which acts as a portal with links to sites on many topics - in addition to the usual ones like health and services, try science and philosophy, or Potluck! It offers a bulletin board, chat room, opinion polls, free advisory services eg Computing and Internet help, and a 3D community called Greypath Village. http://www.greypath.com/Portal/main/index.asp
- A project that aims to provide the 50 years and over residents of the City of Port Phillip, and wider area, with the opportunity to gain skills and confidence to access and surf the World Wide Web. Has a useful page of links to online learning resources, message board and chat room and project information. http://home.vicnet.net.au/~greynet/welcome.htm
- "Its aim is to promote the rights, dignity and wellbeing of older women, and its focus is skill development, social action, empowerment and having fun!" http://www.zip.com.au/~ownnsw/
- A special interst group fo the Launceston Computer Clubs Group Inc.
- http://multivac.lcg.org.au/seniors/
- An association of seniors helping seniors use computers and the Internet. http://www.seniornet.com.au
- A group of older computer users who meet monthly and have classes taught by older people as "compumentors". http://www.cotaq.org.au/snrsurf/
- Established in January 1999 to link Tasmanian seniors with home computers. http://www.tassie.net.au/~senior/
- www.onlineseniors.net.au , a website which aims to be a portal dedicated to instructing, informing and inspiring seniors about the Internet. It has Internet tutorials, information and a chat room. A general purpose site to start with, but has a way to go before being a comprehensive portal.
- Overseas
- Seniors Internet Resource Center. An American portal site with over 5000 links to sites of interest to the over 50 age group, plus SeniorsSearch directory which lists senior friendly web sites in the United States. http://www.ageofreason.com/
- The first chat site in the UK developed specifically for the 50+ age group. Under the auspice of Age Concern, it welcomes users from all over the world. As well as normal 'social' chat, it offers themed, hosted discussions on topics such as health, hobbies, family matters, technology, etc. http://www.bbb.org.uk
- "a non-profit Web site designed to help retired folks understand how computers work and locate some resources for improving their computing skills" by Rick Sheridan, a Butte College computer science instructor. It links to many free Internet tutorials and other instructional sites along with information about organizations, research techniques, a glossary of terms and other resources. US based but a possible model for an Australian version. http://www.csuchico.edu/~csu/seniors/computing.html
- The UK's first dedicated Computer & Internet training scheme for the over 50s. http://www.hairnet.org/
- A site run by over-fifties in UK to "fight back and claim their rightful status in cyberspace." Invites others to share wit, humour, irritations and more serious issues. http://www.hellsgeriatrics.com
- - a UK site put together by recent retiree Graham Andrews with lots of eclectic information, discussion (eg "nobody gives a stuff if you are over 50 and out of work"), interesting links. http://www.idf50.co.uk/home.asp
- Site for Britains's satirical subscription magazine of short stories, reviews, opinion and cartoons. It offers an on-line chatroom and mailing list. http://www.theoldie.co.uk/
- Based in California, USA, provides adults 55 and older with information and instruction about computer technologies to empower them to use them to further enrich their lives. http://www.seniornet.com/
- SCIP, in Canada, allows older adults to explore the use of computers and communication technology. http://www.seniorscan.ca
- UK site aiming to provide links to the best available resources and websites for UK users. "We provide a gateway, an index, a portal, to the net focussed on the needs of Silver Surfers and we hope that we stimulate greater use of the net by 'wrinklies'." http://www.silversurfers.net
- A community of active older adults in USA featuring chat, free stuff, discounts, health care, retirement, investing, caregiving, hobbies, travel and news. http://www.thirdage.com/
- UK site for the 50 plus. http://www.2young2retire.com
Copyright © 1997 Council on the
Ageing. All rights reserved.
Last updated: 23 May 2003
COTA National Seniors Policy
Secretariat [formerly Council on the Ageing (Australia)]
Level 2, 3 Bowen Crescent, Melbourne Vic 3004
Tel (03) 9820 2655 Fax (03) 9820 9886
email cota@cota.org.au