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Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, including those from Stolen Generations

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 50 may be able to get support with aged care services, if assessed as eligible. This can help you stay at home for longer or move into an aged care home.

Aged care services must respect your culture, identity and spirituality. If you need extra help, you may be able to apply for aged care.

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Aged care is changing

Aged care is changing so older people can access more culturally safe and appropriate care.

The new Aged Care Act is the main law that sets out the aged care system. It is an important reform and puts your rights first. It makes sure you:

  • have your physical and cultural needs at the heart of the aged care you receive
  • can access culturally safe, trauma-aware and healing-informed aged care assessments and services
  • have your identity, culture, spirituality and diversity valued and supported
  • stay connected to community, Country and important people in your life.

A small number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations are delivering culturally safe, trauma-aware aged care assessments. This is part of a phased rollout over time.

These organisations provide older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people:

  • an improved assessment experience
  • options to stay at home for longer
  • more choice when seeking culturally safe aged care assessment.

Learn more about the phased rollout on the Department of Health, Disability, and Ageing website. 

Learn more about how aged care reforms will impact you.

 

Your rights in aged care

The aged care services you have been assessed as eligible for should support you to live the life you choose. You have the right to make decisions about where, when and how you receive these services.

The people providing your care must treat you with dignity and respect. They must provide services in a way that respects your identity, culture and spirituality. They must also explain your aged care services in a way that you understand.

Who can help and support me to access aged care?

You can get help to make decisions about your aged care if you need. This includes free services. You can yarn with someone who understands your culture, background and experiences.

Can I get aged care that meets my needs and preferences?

You can access government-funded aged care services if you have assessed care needs and are at least one of the following:

  • aged 65 years and over
  • an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person aged 50 years and older
  • homeless or at risk of homelessness and aged 50 years and older
  • already living in an aged care home or accessing aged care services.

Some providers tailor their services, staff and organisation to meet the needs of specific groups. This includes older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

You can find providers that best meet your care needs in the Find a provider tool. Use the filters to find and compare providers that offer the care you need.

Aunty Jenni's story

How do I apply for aged care services?

The first step is to apply for an assessment. You can do this: 

  • through your GP or local health service
  • online at the My Aged Care website
  • by calling My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
  • in-person with an Aged Care Specialist Officer at a Services Australia office. Book an appointment by calling 1800 227 475.

You can ask for an assessment with an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander assessment organisation, if one is available near you.

See our resource for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about how to get aged care services.

You can also read more about how to get assessed.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care assessment organisations

Some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations are offering aged care assessments in parts of Australia. The organisations are Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations. 

The assessments are done by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or by people trained by the organisation to be culturally safe, trauma aware and healing informed. 

Your assessor will visit you to chat about your goals and needs. They will confirm what services you are eligible for and may suggest local providers that can help you.

If you like, your family, Elder Care Support worker, care finder or Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) advocate can join the assessment with you.

Read the assessments to use aged care services (Easy Read) resource for more information.

How can I find an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander assessment organisation?

There are three Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations providing aged care assessments in 5 states and territories across metro, regional, remote and very remote areas. These are:

Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Women’s Council Aboriginal Corporation

Covering regions in South Australia, Northern Territory, and Western Australia

  • SA 3 Flinders and Far North 
  • NT Alice Springs 
  • WA 3 Goldfields 
  • WA 3 Pilbara 

Rumbalara Aboriginal Co-operative 

Covering regions in Victoria:

  • VIC 3 Campaspe LGA within Loddon Mallee 
  • VIC 4 Hume 

The Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH)

Covering regions in Queensland:

  • QLD 2 Sunshine Coast 
  • QLD 2 Cabool. 

To find out if an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation is operating in your area, enter your postcode into the Interactive map of all aged care assessment organisations.

If an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander assessment organisation is not available yet in your region, you can still receive an assessment through any My Aged Care assessment organisation.

National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flexible Aged Care Program (NATSIFACP) 

The NATSIFACP provides flexible, culturally safe aged care. These services recognise, respect and support your unique cultural identity, and meet your needs, wants and rights.

Learn more about NATSIFACP.

How do I find a provider that is right for me? 

Elder Care Support workers can help you find a provider and access aged care services. You can also: 

  • use the Find a provider tool 
  • get help from your local health service, family or assessment organisation.  

You can search for NATSIFACP providers in the Find a Provider tool using the Care program filter. 

Some other providers listed in the Find a provider tool have been verified as delivering care and services that meet specific needs of people from specific backgrounds or life experiences. These providers have undergone a process that validates their claims as a provider of specialised care and services.  

Specialisation Verification helps you to be confident that their claims of specialised care have been verified by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing using the Specialisation Verification Framework. 

For these providers, you can use the Specialised Care filters.

What questions can I ask aged care providers?

When you're starting to think about aged care or are talking to a provider for the first time, it’s good to think about the kind of care you would like.

Have some questions ready to ask providers when you meet with them can be very helpful. You can take a family member, carers, supporters, advocates, or anyone you trust with you to these meetings. Here are some example questions.

These questions above and more can be found on the 10 Questions to Ask website. They focus on questions you can ask when looking for an aged care home, but many work for receiving help at home services, too.

Language support

If you need an interpreter or translator to help you understand the provider agreement or any other part of the process, you can ask for one at any time when you call My Aged Care. An Elder Care Support worker can help you do this.

What support is available for carers?

If you are caring for someone, short-term and emergency respite services are available. For emergency respite care, contact Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737. You can find out more about services to support carers, including peer connections and training, on the Carer Gateway website.

Learn more about information, resources and support for carers.

What if I have concerns about my care?

If you are made to feel unsafe or uncomfortable, are denied a service, or have a concern about your rights, you should tell someone. This could be your aged care provider, a staff member, a friend, family member, an aged care advocate, or anyone you trust.  

Learn more about your rights.

You also have the right to raise your concern or make a complaint with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Doing this shouldn’t affect your support services. Discuss the issue with your provider first, as it may be something they can resolve. You have the right to stop services at any time.

As the national regulator for aged care, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission protects the health, safety and wellbeing of older people. It has a range of resources, including videos and story boards to help you find out more about aged care, your rights and speaking up when things aren’t right.

If you are not comfortable talking to your provider, the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) provides free advocacy services. An advocate is an impartial person who can help you speak up or work with you and your provider to resolve an issue.

Learn more about raising complaints and concerns.

Useful resources and contacts

You can find more aged care resources here.

The following services and programs may also be helpful.