Aged care

Cultural integrity in aged care is becoming increasingly important as our post-war migrant population ages and newer population groups enter our aged care system.

Over 20 per cent of Australian seniors are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and in our big cities this figure is much larger. Ensuring these consumers receive the aged care they are entitled to is a significant challenge for policy makers and providers. Providing culturally competent aged care services will ensure a decent and equitable aged care system.

Cultural integrity in aged care includes:

• The need for a more detailed overarching policy framework from the Commonwealth 
• Equitable knowledge of and access to aged care services by people from CALD backgrounds 
• Equal satisfaction with services for clients from CALD backgrounds 
• The appropriate use of language services 
• Workforce planning for a well trained workforce, including bilingual staff where required 
• An appropriate mix of culturally competent mainstream services, multicultural services and ethno-specific services

The Aged Care stream will explore these vital issues.

Conference content

Plenary session: Monday 7 June

Where does the CALD ageing population fit into the national health reforms?

Paper presentations

Cultural integrity in aged care (7 June)

Dementia care and education (7 June)