The Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS)
The Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme is funded by the Australian Government to provide trained volunteers to visit older people to provide companionship. There are nine LGBTI+ specialist providers of ACVVS across Australia.
Visitors can be provided to anyone who:
- receives government-subsidised residential aged care or Support at Home package, including care recipients approved or on the National Priority System for residential or Support at Home
- is socially isolated.
LGBTI older people are particularly at risk of social isolation and are able to access this scheme. A lack of referrals from Aged Care Providers is a major barrier to the rollout of ACVVS among LGBTI+ older people.
For a list of LGBTI volunteer visiting service providers across Australia, please download this flyer -
LGBTI older people are also eligible to use any of the generalist ACVVS services. Local providers can be found by contacting the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing -
National: