MEDIA RELEASE: Multilingual community education needed to solve dementia health care crisis

MEDIA RELEASE 

Multilingual community education needed to solve dementia health care crisis  

16 September 2011

Dementia health care has reached a crisis point for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) seniors who aren’t accessing the services they need.

The Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) will release its research report, Meant to Care about Culturally Relevant Dementia Care: Empowering, Informing, Resourcing today during Dementia Awareness Week, to raise awareness for multilingual dementia support services.

ECCV Chairperson Sam Afra said the ageing CALD population, in particular, was growing four times faster than the general population.

“CALD seniors have a poor understanding of the risk factors and symptoms of dementia,” Mr Afra said.

The Meant to Care report finds that non-English speaking seniors often don’t access services because of poor English, lack of knowledge and cultural beliefs.

“There is a flow on effect because when CALD seniors access health care services late they present with more severe symptoms,” Mr Afra said.

The Meant to Care report will be presented to Hon Nick Wakeling MP in partnership with Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria at the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) Seminar on Cultural Diversity and Ageing.

“We urge the State Government to resource multilingual community education about dementia care,” Mr Afra said.

“It is important we have initiatives and strategies in place now so we can empower CALD communities to deal with this health care issue in the future.”

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The Meant To Care Report will be launched at the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) Seminar on Cultural Diversity and Ageing, 16 September 2011, Russell Kennedy, Level 12, 469 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, 12:10pm.

Mr Sam Afra is available for comment. Please contact Sarah Hunt on (03) 9349 4122 / 0410 534 457 for an interview or for copies of the Meant to Care report.