Atul Gawande, Being Mortal: illness, medicine, and what matters in the end, Profile Books, London, 2014.
Diana Athill, Somewhere Towards the End, Granta Books, London, 2008.
Karen Hitchcock, Dear Life: on caring for the elderly, Quarterly Essay 57, Black Inc, Melbourne, 2015.
Lynne Segal, Out of Time: the pleasures and perils of ageing, Verso, New York and London, 2014.
Simone de Beauvoir, Old Age, translated by Patrick O’Brian, Penguin Books, London, 1972. (Also published in English as The Coming of Age).

Aged Care

The government website My Aged Care (www.myagedcare.gov.au) is a starting point for those considering the need for extra support as they get older. It has information on community care (care services in the home) and residential care (nursing homes), including respite or short-term care.

Australia’s ageing population

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (www.aihw.gov.au) publishes numerous statistic-based reports on health and wellbeing, and also includes the National Aged Care Data Clearinghouse.

Carers

Carers Australia (www.carersaustralia.com.au) is a national peak body advocating on behalf of carers. State-based organisations offer counselling and support services for those caring for older people.

Community Visitors Scheme

The Community Visitors Scheme is funded by the Australian government and run by community-based organisations. The Department of Social Services website offers information on state and territory organisations that run Community Visitor Schemes (www.dss.gov.au/ageing-and-aged-care/older-people-their-families-and-carers/community-visitors-scheme).

Dementia

Alzheimer’s Australia (www.fightdementia.org.au) has an informative website with resources and links to support services for people experiencing all forms of dementia, and their family and carers. Services include a dementia helpline (1800 100 500), counselling, carer support, and education resources.

Depression and suicide

As a telephone counselling service, Lifeline (13 11 14) offers twenty-four-hour crisis support and suicide prevention. BeyondBlue (www.beyondblue.org.au) has resources specifically for older people dealing with depression and anxiety.

Elder abuse

Elder abuse is any act that causes harm to an older person and is carried out by someone they know and trust, such as a family member or friend. The abuse may be physical, social, financial, psychological, or sexual, and can include mistreatment and neglect. The government website My Aged Care has a list of the state-based services that offer support to older people experiencing abuse (www.myagedcare.gov.au/financial-and-legal/elder-abuse-concerns).

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex older people

The Val’s Cafe website (www.valscafe.org.au) hosts extensive information about older LGBTI people. Part of La Trobe University’s Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health, and Society, Val’s Cafe resources include guidelines for aged-care services wanting to be LGBTI inclusive.