How We Help

Aged Care Justice Inc. (ACJ) is a registered charity supporting Australians living in residential aged care or receiving home care, by providing access to legal services, educational material on aged care rights, and lobbying for sector reform.

When a person contacts ACJ, we listen to their issue and connect them with a lawyer with experience in aged care matters who will provide a free legal consultation anywhere in Australia. Our panel of firms have agreed to identify the most efficient and economical way to proceed after the initial consultation, which may include pro bono assistance.

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Legal Referral Service

Connecting people experiencing issues with aged care services to lawyers. Read more.

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Rights Education & Law Reform

Offering legal education on the rights of aged care residents and home care recipients, and promoting sector reform. Read more.

Who We Are

Aged Care Justice is a not-for-profit group of volunteers incorporated in Victoria pursuant to the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012. It was established in October 2020, by senior legal and medical professionals. Aged Care Justice’s current Chair is Sue Williamson, a partner with Dentons, who is actively involved in volunteering in the palliative care space.

Aged Care Justice is also supported by several volunteer law students from the Monash University Law School. They provide secretariat and research assistance.
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The Honourable Tony Pagone KC

Co-Patron

The Honourable Tony Pagone KC, a Co-Patron of Aged Care Justice, a former Federal Court Judge and Chair of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

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Dr Bryan Keon-Cohen AM KC

Co-Patron

Dr Bryan Keon-Cohen AM KC, now retired, practised at the Victorian Bar for 35 years, focusing on the protection of human rights, including native title claims.

Our Purpose

Our main purpose is to assist aggrieved persons seeking legal redress due to financial, emotional or physical damage suffered in residential aged care or home care.

Aged Care Justice does not provide legal advice or representation. It seeks to assist older Australians and their representatives by referring them, if they wish, to legal firms for advice, and if appropriate, representation in legal proceedings.

Activities:

Our ongoing activities include creating rights education that is relevant to the issues being faced by those accessing aged care services, so they can recognise wrongdoing and feel empowered to enforce their rights. Aged Care Justice actively promotes reform of the aged care sector by making submissions to government for legislative change to improve aged care delivery and personal rights.

Why Aged Care Justice

Aged Care Justice exists to stop the aged care crisis identified by the Royal Commission into Aged Care

Our inquiry has shown unacceptable levels of substandard care in Australia’s aged care system.

The breadth of the evidence and the consistency of people’s experiences suggest that high quality aged care is not being delivered consistently in our aged care system, particularly in residential aged care. Looking at people’s experience of substandard care and the available data about quality, people in aged care cannot be confident that they will receive the care that they need, whether it be in relation to their health, social, cultural or emotional needs, or that they will avoid experiencing restrictive practices or abuse.

The extent of substandard care in Australia’s aged care system is inexcusable. On the best evidence available, Commissioner Briggs concludes that at least 1 in 3 people accessing residential aged care and home care services have experienced substandard care.

In overhauling the aged care system, the voices of people receiving care must be a priority to ensure that the system remains relevant and appropriate for the people it is intended to support.

Publications and News

Articles

Human Rights and Aged Care
March 17, 2023

In reconceptualising Australia’s obligations to its older people, seeing them not as vulnerable but as active right holders, the human rights approach has the ability to improve the standard of care delivered by aged care providers.

Case Studies

Negligent Care Within Aged Care Facilities All Too Common
October 13, 2021

We acted for the daughter and granddaughter of a man (Mr W) who died as a result of the negligent care he received at an aged cared facility in Parramatta, New South Wales.

Aged Care Justice News

ALARMing trend in aged care abuse to be tackled by Aged Care Justice
August 9, 2022

For nearly 2 years ALARM has been focused on reducing the abuse and neglect exposed by the Royal Commission into Aged Care (Royal Commission) by ensuring aged care residents have a means to access legal support.

Have You or a Family Member Suffered?

We can help

By sending us your details and information about the experience of you or your family member, we can connect you with an appropriate legal firm to seek justice.