Diverse Families & Aged Care
If English isn’t your first language, or your family’s culture has different expectations about caring for elderly parents, the aged care system can feel like it wasn’t built for you. In many ways, it wasn’t. But you have rights, and there is help available.
💡 How to use an interpreter with My Aged Care: Call 131 450 first. Tell them your language. Ask them to connect you to My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. The interpreter stays on the line for the entire call. This is free.
The cultural barrier nobody talks about
In many cultures — Greek, Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Lebanese, Filipino, Korean, Pacific Islander, and many more — the expectation is clear: family looks after family. Aged care is for people who have nobody.
That expectation made sense when extended families lived together, when someone was always home, when life was structured differently. But today, most adult children work. Many live in different cities. Housing is smaller. The old model of care doesn’t always fit modern Australian life, even when the love and intention are still there.
Getting aged care support is not abandoning your parent. It’s making sure they get the help you can’t safely provide on your own. A care worker coming to help with showering doesn’t replace you. It frees you up to be the daughter, son, or grandchild — not the exhausted carer who resents the person they love.
Many families find a middle ground: government-funded care handles the clinical and practical tasks (nursing, cleaning, personal care), while the family provides what only family can — love, connection, cultural identity, food cooked the right way, speaking the home language, keeping traditions alive.
Your rights
Under the new Aged Care Act 2024, these rights are legally enforceable. They’re not suggestions.
📜 Right to an interpreter
You can request a professional interpreter at every stage — the initial phone call, the assessment, care planning meetings, and when dealing with providers. This is free through the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450. My Aged Care is required to offer this. If they don’t, ask for it. If they refuse, that’s a complaint.
🍴 Right to culturally appropriate care
Your parent has the right to care that respects their culture, language, religion, and personal preferences. This includes food that respects dietary requirements (halal, kosher, vegetarian, culturally preferred meals), carers of a preferred gender, and respect for religious practices and cultural customs.
👥 Right to choose your provider
You’re not assigned a provider. You choose one. Many providers specialise in specific communities — Greek, Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese, Arabic-speaking, and others. You can search for them on Find a Provider.
🙋 Right to make decisions
Your parent has the right to make their own decisions about their care, their daily routine, and their life. Family involvement is valued, but the older person’s wishes come first. This is enshrined in the Statement of Rights.
Getting an interpreter — the practical guide
The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) provides free interpreting for aged care. Here’s how to use it in different situations.
When calling My Aged Care
Call TIS on 131 450. Tell them your language. Ask to be connected to My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. The interpreter stays on the line. You can also call My Aged Care directly and ask them to arrange an interpreter — but calling TIS first is usually faster.
During an assessment
When you register with My Aged Care, tell them you need an interpreter for the assessment. Specify the exact language and dialect — for example, “Cantonese, not Mandarin” or “Iraqi Arabic” or “Dari, not Farsi.” If the wrong interpreter shows up, you have the right to reschedule. A family member should not be used as the sole interpreter for an official assessment — it’s not appropriate, and important things get lost.
With your provider
Your aged care provider can also access TIS for care planning meetings and reviews. Remind them that this service is free for aged care purposes. Some providers forget, or try to avoid using it to save time. Insist.
For written documents
My Aged Care has some information translated into other languages on their website. If you need a document translated, ask your provider or My Aged Care. The government’s translation service can help with key documents.
⚠️ Don’t rely on children as interpreters. It’s tempting to use a grandchild or younger family member to translate. But aged care conversations involve sensitive topics — incontinence, cognitive decline, end-of-life wishes, finances. A professional interpreter protects everyone’s dignity and ensures nothing important is lost or softened.
Finding care that fits your culture
Culturally specific aged care providers exist across Australia. They employ staff who speak your language, understand your food, and respect your cultural and religious practices. Here’s how to find them.
Search by language or culture
On the My Aged Care Find a Provider tool, you can filter by language and cultural specialisation. This applies to both home care and residential care.
Ask your ethnic community council
Every state has an ethnic communities council or multicultural council. They often know which providers serve your community and can make recommendations. See the list below.
What to ask a provider
When comparing providers, ask directly: Do you have staff who speak [language]? Can you prepare culturally appropriate meals? Do you accommodate religious practices (prayer times, fasting, dietary laws)? Can you provide a carer of a specific gender if preferred? A good provider will say yes to all of these.
💡 You can switch providers. If your current provider doesn’t meet your cultural needs, you can change at any time. Your funding follows you. Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422 (with TIS on 131 450 if needed).
For specific communities
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
The aged care system has a difficult history with First Nations communities. There are specific aged care services designed for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, delivered by Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and other Indigenous-specific providers.
The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) can help connect you with local services. Many communities also have Elders and community workers who can help navigate the system.
The new Aged Care Act includes specific obligations for culturally safe care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. If this isn’t being met, contact OPAN on 1800 700 600.
People from refugee or trauma backgrounds
For older people who came to Australia as refugees, engaging with government systems can trigger distrust and fear, especially for those who experienced persecution. The assessment process — strangers asking questions about your life, health, and finances — can feel threatening.
If this is the case, ask OPAN for an advocate who understands trauma-informed care. The assessment can be conducted at a place the person feels safe, with a trusted support person present, and at a pace that’s comfortable.
Dementia in a second language
As dementia progresses, many people revert to their first language — the language they grew up speaking. This means someone who’s spoken English for 50 years may suddenly only speak Greek, or Mandarin, or Arabic. If their care workers only speak English, communication breaks down completely.
This makes finding a culturally matched provider even more important for people with cognitive decline. Raise it with My Aged Care during the assessment so it’s recorded in the care plan.
Organisations that can help
TIS National (Interpreting Service)
Free interpreting for aged care in 160+ languages. Available 24/7.
OPAN (Older Persons Advocacy Network)
Free advocacy for all older Australians, including CALD communities. Can help with complaints, assessments, and navigating the system.
FECCA (Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia)
Peak body for multicultural communities. Can connect you with state and local ethnic community councils.
Care Finders Program
Government-funded navigators who provide free, intensive help to people who face barriers accessing aged care — including language barriers and cultural barriers. Available through My Aged Care.
1800 200 422 — ask for Care Finder referral
Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC)
Funded by the government to support aged care providers in delivering culturally inclusive care. Each state has a PICAC organisation that can help match you with appropriate services.
NACCHO (for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples)
National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. Can connect you with Indigenous-specific aged care services.
A message for the adult child reading this
If you’re caught between two worlds — your parents’ expectations and the reality of your life in Australia — you’re not alone. Thousands of families across every community face this same tension.
Asking for help is not a betrayal of your culture. It’s a recognition that caring for someone is hard, and that getting support means you can be a better child, not a worse one. Your parents moved to this country so you could have a better life. Part of that life includes access to a system designed to help them when they need it.
Start with one small step. A phone call. A conversation. Nobody has to make any decisions today.