Ethnic communities’ dementia resource kit

George Lekakis, chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, has launched Alzheimer’s Australia Vic’s new Perceptions of Dementia in Ethnic Communities resource kit.

The free resource kit is the first of its kind and uncovers the different ways in which ethnic communities living in Victoria perceive dementia.

It is designed to help staff who are caring for people with dementia from ethnic backgrounds to develop a better understanding of how their clients perceive their condition.

Alzheimer’s Australia Vic also aims to play a broader role in helping aged care service providers to identify the specific dementia care needs of ethnic communities, and base service improvements and developments on this knowledge.

Forty-four percent of Victorians were either born overseas or have at least one parent born overseas, and one in six Victorians with dementia speak a language other than English at home. Helping Victoria’s large ethnic population to access culturally appropriate dementia care is an important focus for Alzheimer’s Australia Vic.

The resource kit is the product of extensive consultations with 12 ethnic communities around Victoria: Arabic, Croatian, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Polish, Russian, Serbian, Spanish, Turkish and Vietnamese.

The Perceptions of Dementia in Ethnic Communities resource kit is available for download from the web at www.alzheimers.org.au

Alzheimer’s Australia Vic also produces a wide range of information on dementia in many different languages. This is all designed to assist people with dementia, or caring for someone with dementia, to understand the condition and cope with the journey. Information includes:

• Help Sheets about dementia and aspects of dementia care – available in 22 languages

• Mind your Mind – A User’s Guide booklet, which highlights the healthy lifestyle habits that may help to reduce the risk of developing dementia – available in 12 languages

• Understanding Dementia DVD – available in 13 languages

In addition, Alzheimer’s Australia Vic provides seminars and activity sessions in many different languages, including:

• Tastes to Remember events – feasts of cultural food which help people to learn about memory through reminiscence

• Activity groups, including Dance and Music Therapy, and Making Life Books