Aged Care: CALD Perspectives The path to culturally appropriate aged care Illawarra CPP Information Session Maria Stephanou March 2009

Ageing trends By 2011  One in every five people aged 80 or more will be from a CALD background By 2026  One in every four people aged 80 or more will be from a CALD background CALD 70+ population in NSW: 83,847 (ABS 2006)

CALD 70+ demographic profile 73,349 (87%) reside in six aged care planning regions:  South West Sydney  South East Sydney  Inner West  Western Sydney  Northern Sydney  Illawarra

Top 10 NSW CALD Population 70 + Census 2006

Illawarra Region CALD Population 70 + Census 2006

Aged Care Act 1997 CALD identified as one of four Special Needs Groups

Aged Care Principles 1997 Quality of Care Principles Accreditation Standards Community Care Standards Specified Care and Services User Right Principles Fees (Resident & Community Care) Resident Agreements Charters of Rights & Responsibilities

TACS & CPP Projects Funded by the Department of Health and Ageing: Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC): NSW Transcultural Aged Care Service (TACS) (generic, statewide responsibilities) Community Partners Program (CPP): 18 CPP Projects in NSW (specific CALD community focus)

PICAC and CPP objectives are: To facilitate increased and sustained access of CALD communities to aged care services To equip aged care service providers with culturally appropriate skills and knowledge

What is culturally appropriate care?

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE ‘Culture’ Most simply, refers to : the way of life and world view of a particular group of people at a particular point in time

Culture is like an iceberg  Visible aspects of culture - way of life e.g. clothing, food, language (…main experience in travel)  Invisible aspects of culture - world view e.g. beliefs and values (…main experience in migration)

Culture is influenced by…  Environment – the weather, geography, location  History, politics, belief system – major events, interactions with other cultures Cultures have sub-cultures (e.g.. People living in the mountains, in the desert, by the sea, in cities, in villages…) Cultures evolve and change over time & place Nowadays, many people may feel they belong to more than one culture

Care responding to cultural needs

Personalised culturally appropriate care  Awareness of the care recipient’s life journey  Optimal communication  Understanding their cultural background  Cultural Awareness education  Asking the right questions tactfully  Sensitivity to the needs of the individual  Understanding User Rights  How they apply to CALD elderly  Access to appropriate resources and support  Knowledge of where to source them

How can TACS help you?  Provide cross-cultural education  Produce multicultural resources  Facilitate partnerships  Promote quality care for CALD

How can CPPs help you?  Provide information and resources to service providers to help you deliver culturally appropriate care  Educate and inform their own communities about aged care  Provide links between aged care providers and their own communities

Our contact details NSW Transcultural Aged Care Service Croydon Health Centre 24 Liverpool Rd Croydon NSW 2132 Ph: (02) Fax: (02) Web:

Thank you!