Interviewed by Ellen Fanning, Mary Patetsos talks about how older Australians from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds have role models of ageing for their background culture and not necessarily for Australian culture.
She says they may have a cultural expectation to be looked after, but know it is not possible, which can lead to them not creating the ‘scaffolding’ around themselves to prevent being at risk.
Isolation and financial exploitation, through lack of understanding their rights and the responsibilities of others towards them, are probably the greatest vulnerabilities facing older people from CALD backgrounds.
Providing accessible, appropriate information in languages that people can understand is the key to older people from CALD backgrounds being able to live as good a life as possible and minimise the risk of abuse.
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