Innovative respite service for multicultural working carers in Vic

When the Chinese clients arrive in the morning, they cook their special breakfast soup and follow it with a game of Mahjong; the Italians are known to sing and dance along to Italian music; the Vietnamese love making traditional dumplings and reading the Vietnamese paper; and the Macedonians have an interest in arts and crafts.

These are just some of the many and varied activities available to service users at the Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre, in Preston, Victoria.

The service is strictly targeted to clients who are supported by a working carer, and is one of 16 pilot projects across Australia funded under the Commonwealth’s Employed Carers Innovative Project initiative.

It provides adult day care support to ageing people from migrant and refugee backgrounds in a community-based setting that is ethno-specific.

Groups operate from Monday to Saturday, and enable carers to maintain their employment responsibilities, whilst being comfortable with the fact that the person they care for (primarily their parent, but also their partner), is receiving support in a culturally appropriate manner.

The groups each have bi-lingual staff and undertake culturally appropriate activities, and ethno-specific meals are provided.

Nirmalaa Abraham, acting Aged and Disability Services manager for the Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre, said the project has been a ‘resounding success’.

“We have been funded for two years and that funding runs out in August this year,” she said.

“We sincerely hope we can receive funding to keep the project going, as there is a tremendous need for this kind of support for working carers, and we have had to turn people away because we cannot accommodate them.  We currently support over 40 people.

“Our working carers come from a wide variety of backgrounds. There are construction workers, professionals, people in the public service, and those working for private enterprise.

“The people they care for are all aged over 65. Some have early dementia and most have some kind of health problem, but they are not too frail to attend a day program.

“We provide staff who speak their mother language, including care workers, cooks, drivers and a therapy aide. The activities we organise are largely client-driven and reflect their cultural and social interests.

“Clients absolutely love coming here and it really gives the primary carers a good break.”