Membership Costs
The annual membership subscription for 2023-24 is $32 per single and $48 per couple. JOIN NOW
50% fee discount applies for new members joining between 1 January and 31 March 2024.
Corporate Membership Is your organisation supportive of AIR’s objectives and activities? Find out more.
Message to Members from AIR President
MESSAGE TO MEMBERS FROM THE AIR BOARD CONCERNING THE CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)
Dear Members
The health and well-being of our members and their loved ones is a priority for the AIR Board. We understand that you have had to deal with the unprecedented and difficult measures that were undertaken by the authorities in their efforts to curb the spread of the virus. This resulted in the suspension of our regular Branch and Division meetings for periods in some areas. We are thankful that this period is now over and at various stages in different States. However we all need to remain alert and be prepared for new or repeat changes to rules at short notice.
AIR National will continue its regular communications through AIR Active, email, the website and Facebook. We encourage Branches to continue regular email newsletters to their members. Your AIR Board has explored ways to conduct meetings online and some Branches now use online technologies to stay connected with their members as well as members from other areas.
We understand that many members will still be feeling anxious and isolated. We encourage Branches to ask their members to call fellow members to see how they are going. Another possibility would be to appoint welfare officers to contact a number of members on rotation. In the meantime, take care of yourselves and follow the directives of Government and health authorities.
Wayne Strandquist, President
General Covid-19 Information Sources
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/coronavirus
https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert
Up to date statistics coronavirus covid-19 at a glance
National Coronavirus Helpline
For information on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), call the Australian Government's National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.
Mental wellbeing in a time of uncertainty
Resources and support
If you are feeling anxious, concerned, worried or scared at the moment, please know you are not alone.
There are, understandably, many people who are feeling worried about what will happen in the coming months and wondering when things will return to normal.
If you need urgent support, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 - these services are available 24/7.
There are lots of resources available online to help you through this time, here are a few:
- An article on managing your COVID-19 fears here
- The Black Dog Institute Online Clinic free mental health assessment tool
- myCompass personalised tool for mental health
- The Headspace meditation app for stress, better sleep and improved focus
- Free mental health workbooks from the Centre for Clinical Interventions
- Mindspot, a free service for Australian adults experiencing difficulties with anxiety, stress, depression and low mood
- A helpful PDF of quick relaxation tips
- Managing your mental health when you’re working from home
Advance Care Planning
- The COVID-19 pandemic increasingly puts advance care planning in sharper focus as thousands of Australians face the prospect of becoming suddenly unwell in the months ahead. While advance care planning is important for all Australians, at any time, it's now more critical than ever for older people and those with chronic illness.
- Advance care planning is an important part of Australia’s COVID-19 healthcare planning. The Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic Influenza 2019 cites the importance of Advance Care Directives as part of a coordinated response.
Start the conversation about your future care
If you were very unwell, and not able to communicate your preferences for care to others, who would you want to speak for you? And more importantly, what healthcare decisions would you want them to make? You are encouraged to start the conversation about what is most important to you. Tell those close to you what matters most. A little conversation today, may save a lot of heartache tomorrow.
You can find out more about Advance Care Planning at https://www.advancecareplanning.org.au/#/ including resources to help you start the conversation.