Aged care providers around the country are being urged to play their part in a major industry election campaign set to begin next month.

The Campaign for the Care of Older Australians (CCOA) unveiled plans for its latest lobbying initiative at the Aged Care Association Australia NSW (ACAA-NSW) State Conference.

Due to be launched on 15 June, the CCOA campaign will focus on political relations, public awareness and local engagement.

CCOA members include Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA), Aged Care Association Australia (ACAA) and nine church and charitable organisations.

The CCOA election campaign will be based on the key principles of choice, accessibility and sustainability.

A major part of the campaign will be a series of high profile case studies highlighting the impact of older people who act as mentors towards younger people.

The campaign will also draw heavily on aged care organisations who will be encouraged to take part in mainstream and social media initiatives.

The CEO of Catholic Health Australia (CHA), Martin Laverty said the industry will need to engage in “political trouble making” to get its message heard.

“During the course of the election campaign, we will be asking your staff, residents and their family members to make a simple phone call to their local MP or opposition candidate – or to write a letter to the editor,” said Mr Laverty.

“We need to make them know that the old fashioned, out of date Aged Care Act is short changing older Australians.

“And that message will only be heard when it comes from the grassroots level – from the local aged care services and their residents.”

A regular campaign bulletin and tips on how to use social media will be distributed to providers to help them take part in the campaign.

“It really will be dependent on all of us working together,” said the CEO of ACAA, Rod Young.

“The more support we can garner, the more we will actually be able to achieve.”

Mr Young said the campaign’s first objective was to get the government and the opposition to commit to the Productivity Commission’s recommendations for the sector.