AGED CARE & DISABILITY SERVICES

We can help:

• individuals to find the aged care and disability service that best meets their needs.

• service providers with the provision of culturally appropriate services.

• communities to find out more about services and how to access them.

If you would like to speak to us please contact Sharon Porteous on 9275 6905 or email sporteous@miceastmelb.com.au.

For Translated Information for community members/clients/consumers click here

For Resources for service providers/workers click here

For the current cultural awareness training program click here

Click on the following links to find out more about the current and recent Aged & Disability Services programs and projects at the MIC:

• Community Partners Program (CPP)

• HACC - Multicultural Equity and Access Program (MEAP)

• Telstra Connected Seniors Project

• PAST PROJECTS - Dementia Awareness, Social Inclusion, Volunteering

Community Partners Program (CPP)

The Community Partners Program (CPP) is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing for 2009 until June 2012. The main objective of this program is to promote and facilitate increased and sustained access by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities to aged care support services. CPP will include the following activities:

• Information sessions for each CALD community to deliver information about aged care services;
• Visits to be arranged for each community to aged care services to understand services;
• Hold cultural celebration days in partnership with aged care providers and CALD communities;
• Develop more translated information packages for CALD communities on respite care;
• Deliver Cultural Briefing sessions for aged care service providers;
• Explore the needs of carers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

For further information on this project please contact Linda Tan on 9275 6906 or email ltan@miceastmelb.com.au.

HACC - Multicultural Equity and Access Program (MEAP)

The Multicultural Equity and Access Program (MEAP) aims to develop and implement strategies to improve access to Home and Community Care (HACC) funded services in the Eastern Region for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The MEAP is jointly funded under the HACC program by the Victorian Department of Health and Commonwealth Government.

The MEAP works both with HACC service providers and CALD communities to improve access to HACC services and assist agencies to provide culturally appropriate services. This includes facilitating the HACC CALD Network and delivering the "Understanding people from CALD backgrounds" training program for HACC.

Please click here to view the program details.

Telstra Connected Seniors Project

The Telstra Connected Seniors Project received funding for 2010 and 2011. This project delivers training sessions to CALD seniors in the Eastern Region of Melbourne to learn about using mobile telephones and internet. The project aims to address the lack of confidence in using these new technologies for older people from CALD backgrounds.

For further information please contact Geraldine Jeremiah on 9275 6907 or email geraldinej@miceastmelb.com.au.

PAST PROJECTS

Dementia Awareness in CALD Communities across the Generations

Funded by the Department of Health and Ageing in 2010, the Dementia Awareness in CALD Communities Project aimed to raise awareness amongst young people from CALD backgrounds about dementia and how it may affect older people in the community. The project included the following activities:

• Information sessions and activities for English as a Second Language (ESL) secondary students about dementia;
• Visits to dementia specific aged care services for ESL secondary students;
• Linking ESL secondary students with members from CALD senior citizens clubs to present and share what they have learnt about dementia.

To access the evaluation report and resources from the project click here.

For further information on this project please contact Robyn Tan on 9275 6903 or email rtan@miceastmelb.com.au

Inner East Social Inclusion Initiative - Mobilising Communities Project

The Mobilising Communities Project was implemented from 2008 to 2010. The Project worked with older members of the Cambodian community to reduce their experience of social isolation and improve their opportunities for participation in broader community life.

To download a copy of the evaluation report of the Inner East Social Inclusion Initiative click here.

For further information please contact Geraldine Jeremiah on 9275 6907 or email geraldinej@miceastmelb.com.au.

Inviting and Celebrating Cultural Diversity in Volunteering Project

The Department of Planning and Community Development, Department of Health and Victorian Multicultural Commission provided funding for 2011 to encourage volunteer involving organisations to recruit and support volunteers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in their programs, raise awareness about volunteering in Australia with CALD communities and recognise and celebrate existing volunteers from culturally diverse backgrounds.

The project included development of translated information about volunteering, an exhibition including DVD and banners and posters for service providers. The exhibition is available for community organisations to display in their reception area. Posters are also available.

Please click here for resources for agencies working with volunteers from a CALD community or seeking to increase the cultural diversity of their volunteer pool.

For further information or to organise copies of posters or the exhibition please contact Robyn Tan on 9275 6903 or email rtan@miceastmelb.com.au