MAC News
2019/20 Summer Closure
The MAC Office will be closed from 13 December 2019 to 13 January 2020. The MAC Board of Management and Staff wish you a safe and joyous holiday season, and a happy New Year!
Nursing homes for all: why aged care needs to reflect multicultural Australia
This week, the aged care royal commission looks at diversity in aged care, an issue becoming increasingly relevant to both residents and the staff who care for them. Diversity includes gender, sexual orientation, religion and social background. The issue is important...
Timeframes for implementing the new Charter of Aged Care Rights
The new Charter of Aged Care Rights is now in effect and all providers have responsibilities, including to: give consumers a signed copy of the Charter assist consumers to understand the Charter ensure that consumers, or their authorised person, are given a reasonable...
New Resources Launched
As part of the final celebration of MAC's 25th Anniversary, 2 new resources were launched. Designed to complement the Actions to support older Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people released by the Department of Health, earlier this year, MAC has produced A...
What do Aboriginal Australians want from their aged care system? Community connection is number one
The Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population is ageing at a much faster rate than the non-Indigenous population. Aboriginal Australians record high mid-life rates of multiple chronic diseases including heart disease and stroke, lung disease, and...
Our culture affects the way we look after ourselves. It should shape the health care we receive, too
For South Asians, there’s a distinct difference between “rice with curry” and “curry with rice”. When we spoke to Indian and Sri Lankan migrants with type 2 diabetes and heart disease, they told us the advice they received on ways to reduce the quantity of staples...
Nearly 1 in 4 of us aren’t native English speakers. In a health-care setting, interpreters are essential
Almost one quarter of the Australian population speaks a language other than English at home. But health services in Australia are largely delivered in English only. We know Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds are less likely to access...
Between health and faith: managing type 2 diabetes during Ramadan
The holy month of Ramadan, which sees Muslims all over the world fast during daylight hours, begins this weekend. Does having type 2 diabetes exclude a person from fasting? Not necessarily. The decision belongs to the person, but getting some advice from health...
PICAC program extended to 2020
The nationwide Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) Alliance are excited to have another year to be able to support ongoing improvements to culturally appropriate aged care. With government commitment to seeing diversity embedded in the delivery of aged...
CHSP funding extension 2020–2022
Funding certainty to ensure continued service provision for clients As part of the 2019 Australian Government Budget package announced yesterday, funding for the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP) will be extended from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2022. Current CHSP...