The Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing's e-newsletter brings you the latest news, resources and examples of best practice in the area of cultural diversity in ageing. We thank you for subscribing and invite you to share your ideas so that together we can improve the quality of life for older Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care Victoria - successful tender

The Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing team is delighted to announce that we have been successful in securing funding through though the Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) program from the  Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing for a further three years.  This builds on 13 years of support provided to the aged care sector in addressing the needs of older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The funding provides us with an opportunity to continue to enhance our work across the aged care sector through: further strengthening our links with peak organisations and providers; identifying and sharing good practice initiatives; developing resources for use by providers; providing training; and supporting the work of Community Partners Program (CPP)-funded organisations. 

It is through collaboration with the CPP-funded organisations that the Centre supports initiatives that improve access to services and ensures that servicers provided for older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and their families are culturally inclusive.

 

New Translation and Interpreting Service for Aged Care Residents

Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, recently announced that translation services and on-site interpreters will be available to older Australians in aged care facilities who are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The Gillard Government is providing $2.2 million to engage interpreter services to help older people from non-English speaking backgrounds communicate on health and aged care matters.

"The new service will include on-site visits and telephone interpreting services and services will be available around the clock for 24 hours a day, seven days a week," she said.

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State-wide Community Consultations on Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship

The Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC), in partnership with the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship (OMAC), will host a series of community consultations throughout August and September.

The community consultations will provide an open forum for comment on Victorian government departments’ programs, services and policies as outlined in the report: Victorian Government Reporting on Multicultural Affairs 2009-10.

The consultations are also an opportunity for the Victorian Government to share information on key developments in multicultural affairs and citizenship portfolio.

The VMC and OMAC will be holding 21community consultations from Friday 12 August 2011 to Tuesday 27 September 2011.

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Victoria's Multicultural Awards for Excellence 2011

The annual awards program was established in 2004 to recognise and reward the contributions of individuals and organisations that promote the social, economic and cultural benefits of Victoria's multicultural community. The event is hosted by the Governor of Victoria, and is attended by more than 500 members of Victoria’s multicultural and multifaith community.

Nominations for the 2011 Awards for Excellence are now open.

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Positive Partnership in Ballarat

Workers from Australian Multicultural Community Services, Australian Croatian Community Services and Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council have collaboratively organised a cultural briefing to Ballarat Aged Care Assessment Service (ACAS), a 'Living with Dementia' information session a trip to the Ballarat Community Health Centre for the members of the Ballarat Polish and Croatian background communities.

The goals of this Community Partners Program (CPP) collaboration were to improve access to aged care services for Polish and Croatian communities in Ballarat.

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Agnieszka, Silvana and Kim (right) with Croatian community members during Multicultural Tucker at the Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council

‘Bridging the Gap’ Savours the Community Chef Cuisine

Article written by: Geoff Hicks (CPP Worker, Diversitat, Geelong)

For some time now councils have been concerned about the quality, cost, variety and nutritional value of their delivered meals. The existing model of the 'Meals On Wheels' program has been replaced by the new, state of the art, 'Community Chef' project which was introduced in December 2010 and will produce over 1.2 million meals per year.

The 'Community Chef' facility located in Altona is modelled on international design, visions and standards and now offers a six menu range including Anglo-Australian, Mediterranean, Asian, Vegetarian, Roast or Salad plus Kosher and Halal options.

On 27 April at Diversitat’s Wholefoods Café, representatives from Geelong communities as well as from aged care services were treated to testing of the cuisine prepared by 'Community Chef'.

Hinga Fletcher (Aged & Disability Services, COGG) and two volunteers from the Geelong Council's meals program attended the 'Bridging The Gap' meeting and provided a wonderful presentation for the group which included sampling of the culinary offerings (most received the thumbs up) of the improved delivered meals program. The next tour of the 'Community Chef' facility will take place later in 2011.

The Bridging The Gap project received funding assistance from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing under the Community Partners Program (CPP).

                                                                           

Representatives from Geelong's ageing cultural communities and aged care service providers testing of the cuisine the 'Community Chef' program.

Spreading the Word about Aged Care Services-
Ageing in Australia- Cultural Diversity in Ageing Expo

12 November 2011
Melbourne Town Hall

In November this year, the Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing will be hosting the inaugural Ageing in Australia – Cultural Diversity in Ageing Expo.

The Expo aims to inform people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds about the aged care service system in Australia as well as about support provided to ageing members of our community.

The Centre hopes to attract elderly people, carers and younger family members from a broad cross-section of ethnic communities in Melbourne.

FREE OF CHARGE to all visitors, this special event will feature exhibitors from peak aged care organisation (representing aged care services), special presentations based on ‘Options in Aged Care’ publication , access to multilingual information and bilingual facilitators who will assist visitors with their enquiries. 

The Expo will be held at the Melbourne Town Hall on Saturday 12 November 2011, from 12 noon – 4.00pm.

Further information about the Expo will be posted on the Centre's website on 1 September, 2011.

Sydney CAREX 2011 (organised by Total Aged Services)

10-11 August 2011
Rosehill Racecourse, Rosehill

CAREX is a professional event for CEOs, DONs, managers, health/other professionals, carers and all interested staff working in acute, residential, home, community, retirement or disability care organisations.

CAREX represents a unique opportunity for information, education, networking, review and investing. With its mix of product and service based exhibitors, free and fee-paying workshops/seminars and other activities, Carex is an event not to be missed.

The Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing will be displaying our resources at the expo as well as presenting a mini workshop: Culturally inclusive aged care services- overview of resources for culturally inclusive service delivery.

Participants of this workshop will gain an insight into:

• Key characteristics of a culturally inclusive service
• Key resources available to support managers in the development of culturally inclusive systems
• Key resources available to support the direct care delivery

For more details and a full list of the workshops visit the CAREX website.

Australia's Ageing Population Summit 2011 (organised by Informa)

28-30 September
Rendezvouz Hotel, Melbourne

This year’s Ageing Population Summit will look at service delivery issues for the ageing population in rural and remote locations, upcoming development on technology and innovation, infrastructure planning, early rehabilitation in the aged care sector and aged care workforce.

Angelika Tyrone (Ethnic Link Services, Uniting Care Wesley Port Adelaide Inc) will be presenting a session on 'Issues and innovation in care services for the aged of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. This session will cover:

• Acknowledging older people of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background and the provision of equitable access to care
• Communication issues and language barriers for the aged with minimal English; Appropriate service responses
• An innovative model of service delivery which provides linkage, advocacy and service system navigation
• Possible implications of the reform in aged care following the Productivity Commission Inquiry into aged care

Ljubica Petrov (Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing) will be presenting a 'Management of communication in aged care services session'. This will cover:

• Role of bilingual staff in aged care
• Highlighting the importance of online multicultural resources with a growing culturally and linguistically diverse ageing population
• The implications of underutilisation of language services

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The Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing is a Victorian-based organisation supporting the aged care sector to address the needs of older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

We encourage you to contribute to our e-newsletter. Please submit your culturally-inclusive initiatives, projects, resources and upcoming events. We would love to hear from you.

Email us at: info@culturaldiversity.com.au