Aged Care

Aged Care for CALD Older People

As our older population becomes increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse, we will require a more culturally responsive, flexible, and consumer orientated aged care and support service system.

It is well known that older people (65 plus) from CALD backgrounds are rapidly ageing. It is projected that older people from CALD backgrounds will represent 31 per cent of Victoria’s older population by 2011 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2001).

The needs of our rapidly growing CALD senior population requires our immediate attention and address.

It is therefore crucial that ECCV has a major focus on the development of policy and advocacy in the CALD aged care area.

Key issues within this area include:

• Elder abuse/prevention;
• HACC funding priorities and policy frameworks;
• Aged care service standards and quality frameworks
• Access to language services
• The Cultural Planning Strategy and Supported Access Pilot Projects;
• Positive Ageing and Social Support;
• The Way Forward';
• Community Care;
• Dementia;
• Council of Australian Governments (COAG) outcomes;
• Residential Care; and
• Client Assessment.

ECCV's Aged Care Policy Officer, Dr Irene Bouzo, is responsible for advocacy and policy development in the ageing and aged care area. Please do not hesitate to contact Irene to discuss your concerns regarding aged care and support services for CALD older people.

Information and Consultation

Part of ECCV’s work involves delivering information sessions on various issues relating the ageing and aged care needs of CALD older people. Our Aged Care Policy Officer is especially interested in speaking to and consulting with community groups and service providers in regional and rural Victoria to gain a better understanding of the needs of older people from CALD backgrounds and the services that support them in our rural and regional communities. Please contact Dr Irene Bouzo on 03 9349 4122 or ibouzo@eccv.org.au for further information.