PICAC activities for seniors in the Northern Territory

The Australian Government Department of Health provides funding for the Partners in Culturally Appropriate Aged Care (PICAC) program nationally. In the Northern Territory the program is managed by the Council on the Ageing.

The broad aims of the Partners In Culturally Appropriate Aged Care (PICAC) project are to:

• Ensure the special needs of older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are identified and addressed.
• Improve the partnerships between aged care providers, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and the Commonwealth Department of Health & Ageing.

PICAC activities

Service provision

• Free training to assist Aged Care Service Providers (residential & community based) to provide culturally appropriate aged care which is free from prejudice, shows an understanding of cultural diversity and an awareness of cultural norms and values, avoids stereotyping and which encourages and maintains community cultural links.
• Free provision of individual Non Verbal Communication Books (NVCB) for clients unable to communicate effectively in English.
• Provide aged care service providers with cultural information appropriate to client requirements.
• Promote the use of ‘in language’ information and documents available on the PICAC website www.culturaldiversity.com.au
• Promote the use of ‘in language’ information available on the My Aged Care website https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/other-languages
• Provide Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities and individuals with information about residential and community based aged care and other related issues such as healthy ageing.
• Distribute information regarding the various aged care services available: community based services; allied health professionals; the aged care assessment team; community care packages (CACP) and residential aged care facilities.

Networking

• Promote communication and co-operation between service providers and CALD communities.
• Promote PICAC resources and activities by supporting culturally specific seniors’ social groups, multicultural Seniors Month activities, Harmony Day activities and information sessions.
• Develop, resource and present information sessions to CALD community groups on topics including:
  • culturally appropriate aged care
  • community based aged care
  • residential aged care facilities
• Charter of Residents Rights & Responsibilities

Resources

Maintain a resource library and obtain resources / information on:

• • culturally appropriate aged care.
  • aged care, including multilingual copies of selected Dept. of Health documents
  • health care issues for older Territorians.
  • other cultures
  • CULTURAL BACKGROUND RESOURCES 2022-2023 (updated February 2023)