Guidelines to help provide culturally appropriate services
Older people in Australia who are from non-English speaking backgrounds make up a significant and growing proportion of the older population, and in some areas, comprise the majority of users of community care services.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimate that by 2026, more than one in four people in Australia aged 80 and over will be from a culturally or linguistically diverse background.
New guidelines by New South Wales’ Benevolent Society give community care practitioners some guidelines and recommendations on providing culturally appropriate services.
In non-English speaking communities, there are different cultural sensitivities around health and wellbeing; for example mental health issues such as dementia, depression and schizophrenia create a sense of shame and fear of community rejection, and often result in clients retreating into the home, where the burden of care then falls on their spouse and family.
The Benevolent Society’s Barbara Squires said many older people find it difficult to access community care services, or may find that the care provided is not culturally appropriate.
“If we are to continue to build strong and inclusive communities, it is vital that people of all backgrounds have access to the support they need to lead a positive life, participate in their community, and age well. This paper offers some guidelines and ideas to help community care services work with their clients in a more culturally sensitive and inclusive way,”she said.
Details are available at http://www.bensoc.org.au
