Care Should Never Cost You Your Culture
Imagine waking up somewhere that feels unfamiliar. The food tastes different. Conversations happen in a language you struggle to understand. Even the smallest routines that once brought comfort are missing.
You are being cared for. But do you still feel like yourself?
For many people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds, this is why culturally appropriate aged care matters. Care should protect more than physical wellbeing. It should honour the identity, memories and traditions that make someone who they are.
When Care Forgets Who You Are
Think about the little things that make you feel at home.
The smell of a familiar meal. A greeting in your mother tongue. A celebration you have enjoyed since childhood.
Being looked after and feeling understood are not always the same thing.
What Does Culturally Appropriate Care Look Like?
Culturally appropriate care means understanding and respecting each person’s culture, language, traditions and individual needs.
Sometimes, meaningful care looks like:
Asking how someone prefers to be addressed.
Respecting dietary needs and religious practices.
Making space for familiar traditions.
Helping someone communicate in their preferred language.
Listening to the stories that shaped their life.
These are not extraordinary gestures. They are everyday opportunities to make care more personal, respectful and inclusive.
Where AfCAS Makes a Difference
The Association for Culturally Appropriate Services (AfCAS) promotes culturally appropriate services for older people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Its work highlights why aged care should respect people’s language, cultural practices and individual preferences.
These everyday experiences deserve attention beyond the aged-care sector. Sharing them online can help more families and communities understand why culturally appropriate care matters.
A Little Understanding Changes Everything
We all have something that makes us feel at home.
For some, it is a familiar voice. For others, a family recipe, a prayer or a story shared in their first language.
These moments may seem small, but the feeling of belonging they create is anything but.
Because care should never cost someone the culture that makes them who they are.
Be Part of More Culturally Inclusive Care
Discover AfCAS and learn more about the importance of culturally appropriate care.
To know more about AfCAS visit: https://www.afcas.net
10705791
(Disclaimer: This content is for the sole purpose of teaching and learning at Edith Cowan University.)
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