Over four years, $378 million will be delivered to a number of projects through the Government’s Aged Care Service Improvement and Healthy Ageing Grants Fund.

Minister for Ageing Mark Butler says the funding is part of a broader national strategy aimed at ensuring the benefits of the Government’s $3.7 billion Living Longer Living Better aged care reform plan.

“Around 20 per cent of people aged over 65 years were born outside Australia and by 2021 that number will rise to 30 per cent,” says Butler.

Butler identifies individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds as having unique needs that can affect the type of care and services they seek.

“In many cases, the onset of dementia causes older people from CALD backgrounds to lose their English language skills and revert to their first language. Clearly that is a unique challenge for the person affected, for families and for the aged care provider. So, for example, one organisation will be funded to provide workshops that assist staff in supporting individuals with dementia develop a CALD specific handbook and establish support groups for family members,” says Butler.

The project will support the Federal Labor Government’s National Ageing and Aged Care Strategy for People from CALD backgrounds.