The Ethnic Community Perspective on Ageing

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The Ethnic Community Perspective on Ageing

• By
• Marion Lau OAM JP
• ECCV

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Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria

• Advocates
• all levels of government
• for ethno-specific welfare and community- based
  agencies
• for multicultural communities
• on aged care

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Outline

• Six questions
• Demographics
• Raise ethnic issues
• Suggestions and solutions

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1. Has our thinking caught up with ethnic aged
care demographics?

• By 2011 40 NESB gt65 in Melbourne
• 2011 one in five gt80 ethnic background
• 2026 one in four gt80 ethnic

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2. How do ethnic seniors access aged care
services?

• Issues
• Stay at home longer
• Socially isolated
• Language barriers
• Suggestions
• Use TIS
• Contact ethnic multicultural organisations
• ECCV Aged Care Directory

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3. What kind of aged care services do ethnic
seniors need?

• Culture-specific services
• Bilingual-bicultural workers
• Ethno-specific social support
• Suggestions
• Cultural framework at every level
• Supported Access Pilot Project - website
• Check ECCV publications

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4. How do ethnic families understand positive
ageing?

• Cultural perceptions of ageing
• Dementia, mental illness, stigma
• Role of health age care systems
• Solutions
• Bilingual information
• Awareness raising forums
• MMS exercise project

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5. What is the role of the family in ethnic aged
care?

• Language reversion
• Memory of cultural traditions
• Ethnic baby boomers as carers
• Solutions
• Information for whole families adult children
• Social support
• Glossary

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6. How can we advocate for culture specific
services in the current climate?

• Tight resources
• Creative solutions
• Suggestions
• Connect with ethnic welfare multicultural orgs
• ECCV publications
• Golden Years
• Directory

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.

• www.eccv.org.au