National Elder Abuse Hotline: 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374)
Older Persons ACT Legal Service (OPALS) is a specialist service within Legal Aid ACT. OPALS provides legal help to older people in Canberra. We can help you with legal issues involving elder abuse, enduring powers of attorney, guardianship and financial arrangements with family members. We will also refer you to other services if needed.
We are a confidential legal service, and we will not take any action without your consent first. We are able to assist you by advocating on your behalf with your family or services, through letters or if necessary through mediation and court proceedings. We are very flexible with how we provide our service and understand that a legal issue does not always mean that you need to end up in court.
Please note, while we are able to provide limited advice about wills and estates, we do not assist in drafting or preparing wills.
To find out more about elder abuse, financial arrangements with family members or any other area of law affecting older people, please see our factsheets and resources below.
Contact Us
You can contact the Older Persons ACT Legal Service (OPALS) on 6243 3436 or via email on opals@legalaidact.org.au
Our phone lines operate Monday to Thursday 8:30 am to 7 pm and Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm.
OPALS can also be reached on the national hotline: 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374).
Factsheets and Resources
All of our factsheets are intended to be used as a guide only and not as legal advice. See Legal Advice for more information.
We have developed a number of factsheets on legal issues impacting older people. These factsheets are tailored to individuals as well as community workers.
To download these factsheets, click on 'CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD'
About OPALS
- Older Persons ACT Legal Service (OPALS)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD 'OLDER PERSONS ACT LEGAL SERVICE (OPALS)' PAMPHLET
- Our Elders
COVID-19: Staying safe at home
Are you Concerned About Someone?
- Concerned about someone?
Do Your Grandchildren Live With You?
- Are you a Grandparent raising your Grandchild?
Decision-Making and Capacity
The ACT Capacity Toolkit is for you if you have concerns about the ability of an adult to make decisions for themselves.
The Capacity Guidelines are for legal practitioners who need to ascertain whether a client has capacity for the decision being made.
- ACT Capacity Toolkit: A Guide for Assessing Capacity
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD 'ACT CAPACITY TOOLKIT: A GUIDE FOR ASSESSING CAPACITY'
- Capacity Guidelines: A Practical Guide for Legal Practitioners
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD 'CAPACITY GUIDELINES: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR LEGAL PRACTITIONERS'
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Decision making and your rights
What is Elder Abuse?
Looking After Your Assets
- Care for your assets and financial arrangements
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD 'CARE FOR YOUR ASSETS: MONEY, AGING AND FAMILY'
- Gifts, loans and debts
Personal Safety
- Plan for you safety
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD 'PLAN FOR YOUR SAFETY: ARE YOU EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE OR ABUSE?'
- Are you worried about your personal safety?
- Staying safe at home
Resources For Working With Older People
- Working with older people at risk of abuse
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD 'WORKING WITH OLDER PEOPLE AT RISK OF ABUSE'
Legal Topics for Older People
- Legal Topics for Older People Diary ('OPALS Diary') 2023
- Legal Topics for Older People Diary ('OPALS Diary') 2024
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD LEGAL TOPICS FOR OLDER PEOPLE DIARY ('OPALS DIARY') 2023
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD LEGAL TOPICS FOR OLDER PEOPLE DIARY ('OPALS DIARY') 2024
