Older Australians from culturally diverse backgrounds will benefit from increased access to aged care information, with the launch of the Speak My Language radio project.
Aged Care Minister Ken Wyatt says Speak My Language will play a vital role in keeping multicultural communities up to date by providing the latest aged care information in languages they understand and are comfortable with.
“We owe our older Australians an inclusive aged care system, one that embraces diversity,” says Wyatt.
“Talking about aged care and navigating the aged care system can be daunting for older Australians and their families, particularly those from diverse backgrounds. Innovative, community-based programs like this will undoubtedly make the journey easier for many of our most treasured citizens.”
The project will engage 160 bilingual aged care facilitators and ethnic radio programs across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.
“More than 1,000 people’s stories will be broadcast live and podcast to promote ageing well. Over 600,000 older Australian people were born in countries where English is not the first language.
“These people have contributed enormously to the economic and cultural wealth of our nation, and the Turnbull Government is committed to ensuring they have access to high quality aged care services that are sensitive, inclusive and culturally appropriate.”
The first broadcasts will be in Chinese, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Serbian, Macedonian, Hindi, Arabic and English, with this building to include up to 25 language groups.
The project also includes online and social media resources, and links aged care providers offering services for ethnic groups with radio hosts to build understanding of the sector.
The Ethnic Communities’ Council of NSW Inc is coordinating the project and expects messages to reach around 50,000 seniors and their families each week.
The $1 million initiative was supported by the Turnbull Government’s Dementia and Aged Care Services Fund.
“Cultural diversity in our aged care system is set to increase in future years. With 45 per cent of Australians born overseas, or with at least one parent who was, multicultural Australia has become contemporary mainstream Australia,” says Minister Wyatt.
Ethnic Communities’ Council of NSW, as the lead agency of this program, and community media partner the NEMBC invite listeners to tune in across Australia in over 25 languages from 80 ethnic radio broadcasters.
The ethnic community radio program will be supported by a carefully selected Bilingual Aged Care Facilitator who will help develop the radio program schedule, find guests and guide the ethnic broadcaster to deliver the on air Program. The Facilitator is there to work with the broadcaster and to assist and ensure the quality and success of the on air programs.
The successful radio programs will have the option to deliver a 6 – 14 weeks on air radio program about aged care to listeners. The exact model and number of weeks will be decided between the radio program and the Facilitator.
The live radio shows and podcasts will be delivered and recorded in diverse languages. Listeners will also have access to several technological based solutions such as an interactive website, webinars, in-language podcasts and bilingual resources which will help to assist seniors and their families and friends to make informed decisions about their requirements today, and for the future.
Terrie Leoleos, National Manager of the ‘Speak My Language’ Program is proud of the developments to date.
“We are well on our way to developing a program that aims to harness the strength and scope of community radio to deliver much needed information to the broader CALD community about the Commonwealth’s aged care system. The simple in-language conversations both on-radio and through our newly developed Café Conversation Podcast, will assist CALD communities to better understand the recent aged care changes and make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.”
The radio programs will also be discussing issues pertaining to elder abuse; senior’s rights and responsibilities; assessments; complaints mechanisms; and, allied health services. The radio content will explore wellness, restorative and reablement approaches to care and what it means to age well in Australia. The ‘Speak My Language’ Program will launch its first series of on air radio programs in NSW, QLD and Victoria.
