In recognition of Aged Care Week, PCNSW attended the Inclusive Aged Care Forum, held online on the 18th of June, by Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) Alliance, Multicultural Communities Council of Illawarra (MCCI) and Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing.
Vandana Rathore, from Multicultural Aged Care (MAC), presented on ‘Culturally Appropriate Care in Regional and Rural Areas’. Vandana questioned if we are ready to serve Australia’s aging population in a culturally appropriate manner, and highlighted the compounded challenges faced by older people in regional and rural areas.
Jenni Hutchins, from Warrigal, discussed the ‘Workforce Challenges and Solutions’ experienced in Warrigal aged care homes. Jenni explained recruitment and retention strategies when working with CALD aged care workers, as well as the importance of fostering inclusive workplaces and ensuring the wellbeing of staff.
Anica Petkovski, from MCCI, provided information on ‘Supporting Carers in Regional Areas’. Anica highlighted how carers from CALD communities are highly likely to experience social isolation in regional areas. A carers support group offered by MCCI – where carers from different CALD communities can come together and offer advice and support – demonstrated significant benefits to carers who had previously been struggling on their own.
Henrietta Podgorska, from Umbrella Multicultural Community Care Services, presented on ‘Partnering with Local Communities and CALD Organisations’. Henrietta explained the importance of connecting with local CALD communities and organisations when running programs or services, and provided useful insights into how to maintain trust and continue building on those connections long-term.
Tiffany Schwarzkopf, from MCCI, discussed ‘Access to Rural and Regional Aged Care Services’. Tiffany shared her own experiences of how an aged care facility cared for her grandmother, who had moved to Australia from the Philippines. She described how even though the aged care workers didn’t speak her grandmother’s language or understand her history of escaping war they still made adjustments for her and gave her the tools to feel as in control as possible. It was incredibly touching to hear Tiffany’s story of her grandmother, and serves as a great example of how aged care staff can work to make CALD residents feel safe and respected.
The forum concluded with a Q&A panel facilitated by Gerard Mansour, from The Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing. The panel included Treacy Crow (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing), Zamir Yusuf (Department of Health, Disability and Ageing), and Monika Franco (Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission). The panel discussed the Aged Care Reforms scheduled to begin in November, and provided information on the CareFinder Program and regional stewardship teams. The panel encouraged aged care providers and CALD organisations to reach out to the stewardship teams to facilitate local networking and foster collaboration between providers and the community. It was also recommended that people reach out to their PHNs if communities are not being reached by the CareFinder Program so that any gaps can be identified. Attendees were encouraged to engage with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, prior to and when the reforms are introduced.
To learn more about MCCI, click here: https://www.mcci.org.au/
You can also learn more about the PICAC Alliance here: https://mac.org.au/picac/