December Newsletter

Jan 8, 2026

Welcome to our December newsletter!

I cannot believe this is the last newsletter of the year! The weeks and months seem to fly by each year as we are all so busy with work and life.

We will be closed this year from 24 December until 4 January 2026 and this is a much-needed opportunity for us to slow down, reflect, and rejuvenate.

I hope that you are all able to spend time during the festive season with people close to you – family, friends, neighbours or loved ones.

If you need any support with last minute shopping or appointments before the break – please give us a call and we will do our best to help.

Summer is finally here, and we have already experienced some incredibly hot days. This is a reminder to take care in the heat: stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, take a water bottle and hat when outdoors, or carry an umbrella for shade.

We have plenty of outings to help you get out and enjoy the Sydney summer and the Christmas lights. Please see our Summer Outing Calendar.

In this newsletter, we are also bringing you an update on the new Aged Care Act, which commenced at the beginning of November, and warnings from Services Australia to help you stay safe from new tricks used by scammers. Find more details below.

Last week, we celebrated Access Sydney’s 10-Year Anniversary and 40 years of continuing service to the community. We were joined by over 50 longstanding clients who have used our services for many years, our volunteers, our Board of Directors, staff, and partners. I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for helping build Access Sydney’s success. Thank you for your trust in and support of our services. You can check the photos from the event on our Facebook page or see the photos below.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Holiday Closer

Please note that we will be closed for our Staff Training and Development Day on 10 December 2025. We will also close during the Christmas – New Year Holiday break from 24 December 2025 to 4 January 2026.

Please make sure all your bookings are made ahead of time so we can arrange the best services for you.

Access Sydney Client Fees review

We are currently reviewing our fees to ensure that we can keep providing great services while continuing to meet the cost of running our services and keeping client fee increases to a minimum.

The last increase to fees occurred in February 2024 and our new fee schedule will apply from March 2026. We will keep you informed about the review and share further details in early 2026.

Summer Calendar

Now is the perfect time to enjoy our exciting summer outings.

Our Summer Calendar is packed with popular outings, including the Christmas Lights tours and a variety of shopping outings to help you prepare for the festive season.

To ensure you find everything you need for Christmas and the holiday season we have scheduled shopping trips to Discount Shopping, Warehouse Shopping, the Hawkesbury Markets, and the Southern Highlands Markets.

Click here to download Summer Calendar.

📞 Call us on 8241 8000 to make your bookings.

Access Sydney’s 10th Anniversary

Last week, we proudly marked a decade of service to our community—a milestone made possible by everyone who has been part of our journey.

The celebration was made especially important by the more than 50 long-term clients who joined us to share their memories and stories.

Click here to see the photo gallery

Beware of phishing scams

Services Australia is warning about Phishing scams. These are scammers who try to trick you into giving them your personal information by sending you a link to a fake website.

Scammers do this by sending you emails, texts or social media messages to access your personal information such as your myGov sign in details.

These scams might tell you to claim a refund, sign in to read a new message, update your personal information or upload your identity documents.

Do not click on links or attachments. For example, always do this by entering my.gov.au in a website browser or by using the official myGov app.

See more details below.

Beware of phishing scams

Learn more about Beware of phishing scams click.

Aged Care Services – Code of Conduct for providers

The Aged Care Code of Conduct describes how the providers of aged care, including their staff, must behave and treat people accessing funded aged care services. The Code helps make sure older people have confidence and trust in the quality and safety of aged care they access. The Code:

1.supports an older person’s right to personal choice, dignity and respect

2.promotes kind, honest and respectful behaviour

3.keeps older people accessing funded aged care services safe from harm.

You can watch a video that explains the Code below or read a Fact Sheet about it here.

Making a whistle blower disclosure

You can report misconduct such as unlawful or unethical behaviour, without fear of reprisal. You can make a confidential report in person, via phone, online or e-mail to: Access Sydney or a responsible person or other employee of Access Sydney, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, a police officer, or an independent aged care advocate. You can also submit a report anonymously. You can find more information on our website here.

December Newsletter