$3.8 million to support culturally appropriate aged care
Aged care providers will be supported with training and resources to assist them to deliver culturally appropriate care for older Australians thanks to a $3.8 million investment by the Abbott Government.
The Australian Government has committed $3.8 million to extend the Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) Programme for a further two years, Assistant Minister for Social Services Mitch Fifield and Parliamentary Secretary for Social Services Concetta Fierravanti-Wells announced.
“As one of the most culturally diverse nations in world, Australia is home to more than 600,000 people over the age of 65 years who were born overseas, and this figure is growing rapidly,” Minister Fifield said.
“We need to ensure that Aged care is delivered in a way that is responsive to the culture, language and beliefs of different communities, in addition to the individualised aged care needed by all Australians as we grow older.”
The programme will be funded in each state and territory with the aim of breaking down some of the barriers people face in accessing culturally appropriate aged care.
Parliamentary Secretary with special responsibility for multicultural affairs Senator Fierravanti-Wells said essential training and resources will support aged care providers to deliver care that is appropriate and sensitive to people from different backgrounds.
“This $3.8 million investment will have a crucial focus on enabling PICAC organisations to support aged care providers in implementing changes to aged care within diverse communities,” Fierravanti-Wells said
The Government is continuing to implement a range of changes to give people more choice and control over their care, and to help people stay independent at home for as long as they choose.
From July 2015, initiatives such as the Regional Assessment Service, the Commonwealth Home Support Programme and Consumer Directed Care in Home Care Packages will assist older people accessing and receiving care.
An additional $100,000 will be made available over the next two years for PICAC to support and promote an understanding of cultural issues and accessibility of services through My Aged Care.”
Organisations funded under the PICAC Programme conduct a range of activities to improve service delivery including identifying barriers to accessing services, providing training to providers of residential and community based care, and development and distribution of resources promoting best practice.
For more information go to www.MyAgedCare.gov.au