Aged care placement - cultural needs
Common questions and concerns
While each family situation has a different set of requirements,
there are a number of standard questions that seem to be asked by our family clients.
We hope the answers provided here will help you in your aged care placement activities.
What happens if we have different cultural needs and we need residential
aged care?
Quality aged care is a basic right for all
older Australians, whatever their background, no matter where they live.
There are many care and support services that are designed to meet the needs
of older Australians. But some groups of people need additional services. Veterans,
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, those from culturally and linguistically
diverse backgrounds and people in rural and remote areas – all have particular
needs that must be provided for to preserve and enhance their quality of life.
No matter what your gender, ethnicity, culture, language, economic circumstance
or geographic location, the Aged Care Act 1997 facilitates your access to aged
care.
People from different cultural, language or religious backgrounds
are able to access all aged care homes and the homes must acknowledge and respect
your cultural identity.
But some homes provide additional services that
are specific to your individual needs as well.
Aged care homes will
encourage and help residents to maintain existing links with cultural, national
or social communities, and to take part in the social life of those communities.
Aged care homes may arrange for a translator, if you need one, to help
explain your needs and preferences. People living in aged care homes have the
right to practise their own religion; some homes have their own chapel or quiet
room.
Some homes have regular visits from clergy or can arrange transport
to places of worship. 
