Older Persons ACT Legal Service (OPALS)

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.

For an easy English explanation of the OPALS service, please click here.

Contact Us

Contact OPALS on 1800 353 374.

Our phone lines operate Monday to Thursday 8:30 am to 7 pm and Friday 8:30 am to 5 pm.

Alternatively, you can contact OPALS via email on opals@legalaidact.org.au

Resources

Compass Website

Compass is a national online resource centre for information about issues affecting older people relating to elder abuse. The resources include fact sheets, case studies, videos, checklists and may be helpful not only to older people but also to family members, friends and carers of the older person.

Visit the Compass website here: https://www.compass.info/