New Charter of Aged Care Rights

The Australian Government has announced a new Charter of Aged Care Rights. Coming into effect on 1 July 2019 the Charter sets out what consumers, their families, carers and representatives can expect from all Government-subsidised aged care providers. The Charter applies to consumers receiving residential care, home care packages, flexible care and services provided under the Commonwealth Home
Support Program and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible
Aged Care Program.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has published information in 31 languages. The information outlines the work of the Commission and invites submissions from people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The Commission promotes the use
of language services and will accept submissions in languages other than English.

The Australian Government Department of Health has released action plans under the Aged Care Diversity Framework to assist aged care service providers to address specific barriers and challenges faced by older people with diverse characteristics and life experiences. One of these plans focuses on supporting people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Guides on implementing the action plans have been developed for both aged care providers and consumers.

The Federal Government has announced a $290,000 funding boost to the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) so it can continue to represent and advocate for culturally and linguistically diverse older Australians in the aged care sector.

Resources

Do you have a concern? Brochure

The Australian Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission has published brochures in 25 languages outlining information about the role of the Commission and the process involved in raising a concern or providing feedback of services received from Australian Government funded aged care providers.

10 Questions to Ask

‘10 Questions to Ask’ is a series of leaflets written by nurses, doctors and experts with experience in aged care. Each leaflet focuses on an individual aspect of care to increase consumer knowledge and make the journey into residential aged care easier. The leaflets are currently being translated into other languages.

The Moving Pictures website has been launched featuring 15 short films co-produced with people from Hindi-, Tamil-, Mandarin-, Cantonese and Arabic-speaking communities with
the aim of raising awareness about dementia within these communities. The project is a collaboration between the National Ageing Research Institute and Curtin University.

Training

Diversity in Practice workshop

Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing is collaborating with Swinburne University to deliver the 'Diversity in practice: People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds' workshop to staff and volunteers of CHSP and/or HACC PYP providers
in Victoria. The next workshop will be held on Monday 13th May in the Southern Metropolitan area of Melbourne.

Events

Community Forums

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety is undertaking a series of forums in a number of locations around the country. The forums are an opportunity for members of the public to hear about the work of the Commission and to offer their ideas on the challenges and strengths of aged care.

Ageing in a Foreign Land Conference

Flinders University is hosting the 5th International Conference on Ageing in a Foreign Land. With the theme Ageing Well Through Communities, Capacity and Innovation the conference will be held in Adelaide
on 19 and 20 June 2019.