Labor has pledged $6.1 million to Sri Om Care, which provides aged care services to the South Asian community, if elected on Saturday.
The money would go to building up Sri Om’s assisted living model, as well as meeting the needs of Indian and Hindu seniors in aged care, subject to Department of Health due diligence and administrative advice.
Speaking at an event in western Sydney, Andrew Charlton (pictured, right), Labor’s candidate for Parramatta, said that an Albanese Government would be committed to supporting the specific aged care needs of culturally and linguistically diverse people.
“It’s important for all of us as Australians to know that no matter who our parents are, where they come from, what their specific needs are, that there is a place in the aged care system for them. That they will be taken care of in a way that provides them with dignity and sensitivity in their lives.
“I want to commend the foundation for all the amazing work that you do, and tell you how pleased and proud I am to be able to make this commitment on behalf of an elected Albanese Labor government,” he said.
According to Surinder Jain, Vice-President of the Hindu Council of Australia, the support would give South Asian seniors aged care that feels “less like a facility and more like their own home”.
“Indians who came to Australia in the 1970s and 80s are now retired, but cannot find an appropriate aged care facility either in Sydney or Melbourne.
[The] Hindu Council of Australia thanks [the] Labor Party led by Mr Anthony Albanese for his promise to provide the much-needed support. Culturally-appropriate aged care for the benefit of Indian & Hindu seniors in Australia will fill a dire need of the community,” he said.
Better access to culturally sensitive care was among the recommendations in the Royal Commission’s final report.
