Seniors promotion

Using your Find Legal Answers resources to promote awareness of legal issues to older people

Many libraries are involved in events and activities during the NSW Seniors Festival. You can use your Find Legal Answers resources to promote awareness of legal issues during the festival and at other times of the year.

Information resources to promote

Find Legal Answers Tool Kit

Use these books from your Find Legal Answers Tool Kit in library displays:

The law handbook
Rest assured: a legal guide to wills, estates and funerals
Speaking for myself: planning for later life decision-making
Seniors guide to consumer rights in NSW

Free pamphlets

Order free pamphlets to give away to seniors during events.

Legal Aid NSW has a number of free pamphlets you can order. Go to the Order a publication page and select the Older people topic. Recommended pamphlets are:

Adult children living at home. What to do if you want them to leave?
Are you a grandparent? Your legal questions answered
Are you experiencing violence or abuse? You can make it stop
Helping your family financially? Understand the risks
Moving in with the family? Make sure you protect your interests
They want me to leave
Who will decide for you if you can't decide for yourself? Think about planning ahead
Why make a will?
Your home and the age pension. What you need to know.

Extra copies of the Tool Kit title Speaking for myself: planning for later life decision making can be ordered from Legal Aid.

You can also order copies of the Seniors guide to consumer rights from NSW Fair Trading to give away.

Websites

Legal information for older people (Find Legal Answers)
Council on the Ageing NSW - COTA NSW and Legal Aid NSW have formed the Legal Pathways partnership to provide assistance to older persons needing advice about a will, enduring power of attorney or enduring guardianship. People who receive an age pension or hold a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card are eligible to participate in the Legal Pathways project.
The Seniors Rights Service is a community legal centre that protects the rights of older people. They provide telephone advice, advocacy, legal advice and educational services.
The NSW Elder Abuse Helpline & Resource Unit is a free, confidential service that provides information, support and referrals relating to the abuse of older people living in the community across NSW. Individuals, concerned friends, family members, neighbours and support workers can call 1800 628 221 if they suspect elder abuse is occurring. Anyone can make the call.

Planning an event

Seniors will be interested in a range of legal topics. Following are some suggestions for finding a speaker.

Many of you have used local solicitors to speak at past events. If the event was successful, it's a good idea to build this relationship by contacting them again.
Fair Trading works with community groups to deliver free tailored information sessions to consumers. Topics include: Know your shopping rights, be scam aware, buying safe products, buying a car, hiring a tradesperson and renting a home - all relevant to seniors. Find out more on the Fair Trading free community talks page.
Legal Aid can arrange for a lawyer to give a talk about the law to your group. They have a number of education packages about the law that they can deliver. Use their Request a talk form.

You may wish to present the Piano Forte program, a community education program that deals with the issue of elder financial abuse.

The program consists of a film screening and panel discussion with legal and community service representatives. It takes two hours to deliver, including a tea break. The film shows a performance of the play Piano Forte, which highlights the subtle way elder abuse can occur, in addition to exploring the role and responsibilities of an Enduring Power of Attorney. The program is a partnership between the State Library of NSW, Legal Aid NSW, Seniors Rights Service and other legal assistance agencies including community legal centres.

Factsheets to download and print

The following subject resource sheets show you how to find information on the Find Legal Answers website, highlighting some of the resources available. You can print these out and add them to your showbags or promotional material.

family law (PDF)
neighbours (PDF)
older people (PDF)
traffic law (PDF)
wills (PDF)

Promotion and reporting

Promotional material

Promotional material items such as bookmarks, brochures, magnets, seniors promotional cards and showbags are available to order for your event or activity.

Find out about the current range of promotional items.

Reporting

IMPORTANT! Don't forget to report your event or activity via our online form.

Report your seniors event

Twitter, Facebook and other forms of social media are effective methods of communication. You could use these channels to provide links to useful online resources in order to promote legal information.

Use the following hashtags on Twitter (and Instagram/Tumblr):
#nswpubliclibraries
#legalanswersnsw