Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are able to receive aged care assessments now, via the Single Assessment System.
About First Nations assessments
First Nations assessment organisations will provide older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people:
- an improved assessment experience
- increased support to maintain at-home independence for longer
- more choice when seeking culturally safe aged care assessment.
First Nations assessments will also aim to increase the uptake of aged care services for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
This pathway will grow the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce. The organisations will help older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families and carers, access aged care services across urban, regional and remote Australia.
Assessment services
First Nations assessment organisations will connect with an older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person in their service areas. Assessors will either be Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people, or trained to be culturally safe, trauma aware and healing informed by the First Nations Organisation.
First Nations assessment organisations will support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people by:
- taking a less formal yarning approach to assessments
- connecting with the local community with their knowledge of local services and culture
- providing interpreting services, when needed
- doing face-to-face assessments, where possible
- welcoming the presence of the older person's family member, or advocate, to be part of the meetings
- allowing for multiple visits, if required, to build trust and develop a relationship
- minimising the need for the older person to re-tell their story multiple times
- gathering information about the older person’s health and wellbeing to understand the aged care services they need.
Timeline
The First Nations assessment pathway will commence rollout from 1 July 2025. The rollout will begin with a small number of First Nations organisations.
Before then, we are starting to test the processes with some existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to inform the approach and get ready.
Over time, the service will extend its reach and work towards covering more areas across Australia.
Until a First Nations service is available in their area, older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can receive aged care needs assessments through the existing Single Assessment System. All assessors under the existing System have undertaken cultural safety training.
Why it is important
Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people experience barriers to accessing aged care services, which can prevent them from receiving the care they need.
First Nations assessment organisations will work with other local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community organisations such as:
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
- Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations
- Elder Care Support program.
They will work together to help older people engage safely with the aged care system and help identify what support they need.
This will:
- encourage more older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to access aged care services
- empower older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to decide on the care they need and receive.
Who we work with
We have partnered with an advisory group to implement the First Nations Assessment pathway, including:
- National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care Council
- National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
- National Indigenous Australians Agency.
We also have additional partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations who provide advice and feedback on behalf of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
More information
More detailed information on the rollout will be available in early 2025.
Contact
For more information, email firstnationsagedcareassessment@health.gov.au.
Related topics
- Elder Care Support
- Single Assessment System
- First Nations Aged Care Reform
- Interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner
- Council of Elders
- National Closing the Gap Agreement
- First Nations Health
- National Aboriginal and Torres and Strait Islander Health Plan