The Morrison Government is promising to commit $10 million to a network of Aged Care System Navigators to help people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds to understand their aged care options if it is re-elected on 18 May.
The Program will deliver grants to organisations for practical business education, development and mentoring to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to overcome obstacles preventing them from starting a business.
The announcement was made by Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Ken Wyatt AM at an event at the Chung Wah Association Community Centre in Perth during the week.
“We are aiming to make a big difference, to ensure our valued multicultural communities have equal access to aged care and retirement services,” Minister Wyatt said.
“We know that CALD people are less likely to access residential aged care services because of the language barriers they often face.
“The Navigators initiative will help these seniors and their families make the right decisions when it comes to finding appropriate accommodation, securing residential care or Home Care Packages, understanding the financial implications and completing paperwork.”
The new CALD-specific Navigator program will build on the Morrison Government’s $7.4 million Navigator trial launched earlier this year.
The comprehensive national Navigator system will include dedicated community information hubs for senior Australians and their families, online information hubs, and specially trained advisers offering one-on-one support.
Western Australia’s Chung Wah Association Community and Aged Care is already participating in the Navigator trial and has welcomed the new Navigator announcement.
“Navigators will become the natural ambassadors of our aged care services,” said Theresa Kwok, CEO of Chung Wah Association Community and Aged Care
“The Navigators are local volunteers and family members, so there is a pollinating effect in the broader community, improving the integration and understanding of our aged care services.
“As Confucious said: ‘I hear I forget, I see I remember, I do I understand’.”
Minister Wyatt said if re-elected, the Morrison Government will also invest $5 million in a dedicated Accelerator Support Program designed to help migrants start their own businesses as part of its multicultural plan.
The Program will deliver grants to organisations for practical business education, development and mentoring to people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to overcome obstacles preventing them from starting a business.
