Pensioners demand payment increase

About 200 pensioners have gathered at the Melbourne Town Hall to demand an increase in their payments.

The Government is giving pensioners a one-off payment of $1,400 next month, but they say it will not be enough to cover the rising cost of living.

Seniors groups want the Federal Government to increase the pension rate from 25 per cent of average weekly earnings, to 35 per cent.

The Council on Ageing spokeswoman Patricia Reeve says pensioners are struggling to survive.

"Some people are talking about a $30 a week increase and that's just not enough that won't make the difference that's required," she said.

"The other thing is Government has many calls on it. We're asking a whole community to say to the Government it's time to do something about pensions."

Related:

Sydney pensioners rally for long-term reform
Pensioner, retiree and welfare groups have rallied together in Sydney, calling on the Federal Government to improve their standard of living.

Sydney pensioners rally for long-term reform

Pensioner, retiree and welfare groups have rallied together in Sydney, calling on the Federal Government to improve their standard of living.

The Fair Go for Pensioners Coalition is urging the Government to make sure next year's pension reforms deliver an adequate pension over the long-term.

The coalition's chairman, Jon Bisset, says he is hopeful the Government will provide a boost.

"We understand that there are other economic issues on at the moment but they're not excuses for forgetting about pensioners in the future," he said.

Single-aged pensioner Noreen Hewitt says the constant worry about money is exhausting.

"There needs to be an increase for us to just survive," she said.

The coalition also plans to lobby the Government to introduce new cost of living indices just for pensioners and retirees.

More elderly Sydneysiders 'living in squalor'

University of Sydney professor John Snowdon says his team of psychiatrists have found 150 elderly people living in excessive dirtiness in inner city suburbs.

He says those figures mean between 500 and 1,000 people are in a similar position across the state.

Professor Snowdon says part of the reason behind the increase is the rise in dementia and the lack of services in some areas.

"The main clinical conditions leading to these sort of living conditions is either dementia, schizophrenia or alcoholism and we believe that a lot of the people have changes in their frontal lobes of their brains," he said.

He says more resources are needed to help those living in extreme squalor.

"When they have such severe problems with their thinking processes and are unable to work out what to do for themselves, yes, we believe that the community should intervene," he said.

The NSW Opposition is calling for the proper funding of forensic cleaners to deal with the rise in elderly people living in extreme squalor.

The Opposition's ageing spokesman, Andrew Constance, says the State Government has ignored the problem.

"They've turned their back at a time when they should ensure that funding is available for forensic cleaners to go in, backed up by much needed support services - be it mental health, home care, department of health and other services - to ensure that those people no longer fall through the cracks," he said.