Hearing Awareness Week in Australia (1-7 March). The theme this year is "Don't let hearing loss limit you".
In the 2020-21 Budget, the Australian Government invested $21.2 million over the next five years to implement key initiatives from the Roadmap for Hearing Health to improve the lives of the millions of Australians affected by hearing loss.
This substantial investment will increase public awareness of hearing health, generate scientific evidence through research, and support Australians who are most in need including Indigenous Australians.
It includes funding to scope, develop and test measures for residential aged care staff to better identify and support aged care residents with hearing loss. The department is supporting this commitment by commencing a project that involves a gap analysis of processes and workforce training in hearing health in aged care facilities. A best-practice model will then be developed based on recommendations from the gap analysis.
If you are interested in being consulted as part of this important project please email ACworkforceprograms@Health.gov.au.