COTA co-design workshop

12 February 2025

A groundbreaking workshop held on 11 February brought together older Australians from across the country, marking a significant step toward reimagining the management of aged care packages.

Led by Gillian McFee, Peter Hunt and Nick Hislop, the exploratory session aimed to investigate consumer-led co-operatives as a means to empower older Australians with more choice and control over managing their Support at Home package.

The workshop focused on assessing how this model could align with regulatory requirements and the practicalities of self-managing package funds through a co-operative structure.

Key outcomes included clarifying the co-operative’s purpose, defining its practical functions, identifying gaps in service delivery, and outlining the skills needed for its operation. Additionally, the session explored the sustainability of the model and addressed potential barriers, offering solutions to overcome them.