Changes to the aged care system and how they will affect people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds will be discussed in a forum in Moe at the end of the month.
Gippsland Multicultural Services complex case support coordinator Mersiha Grbic said the meeting would mainly tackle the introduction of My Aged Care, a national online and phone service that aims to support seniors to access available aged care services in their home.
“With all the changes that are happening in aged care we found that it’s really important for the people in the CALD backgrounds to find what those changes are and what they actually mean for them,” Ms Grbic said.
She said a number of migrant seniors were missing out on available aged care services as they were not aware of them “because they don’t have them back home”.
Adults aged 65 and over and people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds aged 50 and above are eligible for My Aged Care assistance.
To access My Aged Care people should contact 1800 200 422 to be directed to the different home support programs available.
Ms Grbic said an assessment officer would visit seniors in their home and conduct a comprehensive screening of their needs and walk them through available home support services.
Services such as help with getting dressed, transport, simple modifications to one’s home like setting up hand rails or ramps, preparing meals, physiotherapy, cleaning and gardening, were some of the support available for eligible seniors.
Ms Grbic said Gippsland Multicultural Services would will be available to assist CALD seniors when they accessed My Aged Care “to make sure that they get services that are culturally appropriate (and) that interpreters are being used when needed”.
She clarified that seniors who were currently receiving aged care service did not need to access My Aged Care as nothing would change in the support they were receiving.
“For people who are new to the aged care service then they’ll have to go through My Aged Care Service,” Ms Grbic said.
The GMS will be holding the 31 May forum together with the Latrobe Community Health Service at the Moe RSL Function Room starting at 10am.
Transportation will be available for participants coming from Traralgon, Morwell, and Moe.
People who are interested in attending can call Ms Grbic on 5133 7072 to book a place.
