Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities
Differences in beliefs, values, and traditional health care practices are of particular relevance at the end of life. Culture, even for people who do not usually follow traditional practices, is particularly important in shaping attitudes about dying, death, and preference for end-of-life care. Clinicians also hold strong culturally determined beliefs about dying and death and these inform their practices in caring for people who are dying ( Palliative Care Australia).
Resources
-
Palliative Care Victoria has developed a one-page Fact Sheet in 21 languages describing the practical benefits of palliative care services. This Fact Sheet aims to address what the ethnic communities wish to know about palliative care.
Click here to access the fact sheets.
-
The Cultural perspectives and values from ten CALD communities resource contains background information about ten communities, their cultural perspectives and values. The communities included are Arabic-speaking backgrounds, Chinese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Maltese, Polish, Turkish and Vietnamese.
Click here to access this resource.
Local CALD Services
-
Gippsland Multicultural Services Inc. is a community based organisation, assisting migrants and refugees in Gippsland through the provision of a range of services and programs that support the settlement and ongoing participation of our diverse communities in the Gippsland region.
They also provide a range of services to the wider community and service sector, including resources and training, and other services. Gippsland Multicultural Services now plays a major role in supporting our ageing CALD community members, both through the direct provision of a range of services and also through assisting other aged service providers to better meet their needs.
Click here to visit the Gippsland Multicultural Services website.
-
The Refugee Health Nurse (RHN) is a member of the Latrobe Community Health Service (LCHS) Community Health Team. The RHN plays a crucial role, working directly with refugee communities in the Latrobe Valley and Baw Baw region, and provides timely access to health assessment, optimal care co-ordination and advising other health practitioners on refugee health matters.
Click here to visit the Latrobe Community Health Service Migrant and refugee support website
Useful Websites
-
Recent work by Palliative Care Victoria and the Ethnic Communities’ Council has found that when palliative care is explained in the relevant community language and with sensitivity to specific cultural and spiritual issues, it is well received.
Palliative Care Victoria had information about palliative care in community languages and other useful resources.
Click here to visit the Palliative Care Victoria website.