Page 844 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 20 March 2019
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Yes, translation services may be available. But inability to access these resources is often a result of limited time or money or technological constraints. Again, this leads to an increased risk of social isolation among this group. It is also important to recognise our emerging communities, such as refugees, who are similarly at risk of social isolation and economic disadvantage and may require disability and ageing services that may benefit from a cultural advocate or officer and the range of outreach services called for in my motion.
Third, and perhaps one of the most difficult obstacles to surmount in the CALD disability space, is overcoming cultural barriers. Many people from multicultural backgrounds have different sensitivities and approaches to disability and ageing. This often means that they or their families do not access the best available support and specialist care.
Within the CALD community, older members are in a particularly vulnerable position. In many cultures, elderly family members are supported and are expected to be supported by their wider family, in the home of their adult children. We know that older migrants can regress to their mother tongue and native culture, as acknowledged by Ms Le Couteur, as they age. The thought of being thrown into mainstream senior services, including aged-care facilities, can be overwhelming and scary. Even my own mum, who has lived in Australia for over 30 years, works for an Australian company and engages socially with Australians from all around the world, is fearful of ageing without close family—although I do think her biggest fear is not being able to eat kimchi every day.
For these reasons and more, older members of the CALD community are more reluctant to access existing services for disability and seniors. Should anything happen to the family dynamic, there is a real danger of those members falling through the cracks altogether.
Let me illustrate how the lack of a specialist CALD disability advocate is impacting on the life of one Canberran. This case was raised with me by Advocacy for Inclusion. I will refer to this person as Z. Z, who is from a Muslim background, has an intellectual disability and communicates with a communication board and through expressing actions. Z lives with his parents, who both have English as their second language and have a very strong traditional background, with their guardianship of Z being managed through a top-down approach, involving little opportunity for self-expression. Acknowledging the desire of Z’s parents to ensure the best care for their son, the cultural barriers mean that issues such as the importance of self-expression need to be approached sensitively and appropriately with the family. A dedicated trained professional cultural advocate with the right and appropriate skill set and understanding will be best placed to ensure the best outcome for Z and his family.
This is why I brought this motion forward today. I thank the National Ethnic Disability Alliance, People with Disabilities ACT and Advocacy for Inclusion for their guidance and support in preparation for my motion.
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