Australia is one of the most culturally diverse nations in the world and migrant communities are ageing at a significantly faster rate than the general population.
According to the most recent census, over 30% of the Australian population aged 65 years and over are from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CaLD) backgrounds.
Despite this, people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds remain under-represented in aged care services and struggle to find providers that are responsive to their needs.
This need gave rise to Umbrella Multicultural Community Care Services Inc being created in 2000 and today Umbrella Inc. is a leading charity organisation with 160 staff, 80 volunteers and over 1,000 clients from 70 countries.
Our services are provided by support staff who speak more than 40 different languages and are from migrant backgrounds themselves. Our multicultural volunteers speak 27 different languages. Clients are matched with carers based on religious, linguistic, and cultural compatibility.
We have representatives on national and state advisory groups and we partner with a variety of other organisations to deliver successful programs such as care finder, support at home, social support groups, and the Aged Care Voluntary Visitors’ Scheme (ACVVS).
We specialise in matching our home support workers with our clients, so that clients can be supported to live independently and comfortably at home.
Our care finders’ program
Umbrella Inc. is an accredited care finder service provider for the Perth metropolitan region.
Care finder service providers support vulnerable older people who cannot arrange services without support and do not have family members or friends who can help them. Care finder services are provided at no cost, as they are fully funded through Primary Health Networks.
To receive care finder support, a client must:
- have no carer or support person who can help them, or
- not have a carer or a support person they trust to support them, and
- be eligible for government-funded aged care.
In addition, clients need to meet one or more of the following criteria:
- have difficulty communicating because of language or literacy problems;
- find it difficult to understand information and make decisions;
- be reluctant to engage with aged care services; or
- be in danger of being in an unsafe situation if they do not receive services.
Umbrella Inc. can help clients understand what aged care services are available, set up an assessment and help a client select services. We also help clients to access other supports in the community.
As a care finder provider, Umbrella Inc. can:
- liaise with My Aged Care on a client’s behalf and arrange an assessment;
- provide client support at the assessment;
- identify aged care providers in the area;
- complete forms and explain aged care service agreements to the client;
- connect a client to support services such as health, mental health, housing and homelessness, drug and alcohol services and community groups.
Home Care Packages
Our home care packages are funded by the Australian Government and are designed to provide flexibility and choice to clients about the support they need to stay in their homes for as long as possible.
Our home care program builds on our experience and skills over the past 21 years in providing tailored home care services in the Perth metro region for multicultural clients.
- Domestic Assistance: This is assistance provided in the home and includes domestic tasks such as vacuuming and mopping floors, cleaning the bathroom and other domestic chores.
- Personal Care: Our support workers are experienced at providing sensitive and discreet low-level or high-level personal care. This includes assistance with showering and grooming.
- Home and Garden Maintenance: Home and garden maintenance is focused on keeping clients safe at home. This support can include assistance with general gardening duties such as weeding, pruning shrubs, and sweeping pathways. We can also assist with handy work and small repairs.
- Individual Social Support: This support enables our clients to maintain social connections and access to community networks. It can include companionship, helping clients to get to the shops and assisting with shopping, meal preparation, banking and bill paying. It also includes accompanying clients to medical appointments.
- Respite: Respite is assistance provided to carers and enables them to have short breaks from their caring roles. We can provide a support worker to stay with a client while the carer is having a break.
Social Support
Our activities are organised according to interest and ability. Regular social activities are held at accessible and safe venues around the Perth metro area, mainly at our Support Centre in Belmont. Transport is available and morning and afternoon tea are provided.
Golden Aged Club: Our Golden Age Club provides an opportunity for seniors to get together at a fixed location on a regular basis. There are opportunities to participate in a range of activities including excursions, concerts, physiotherapy with music, arts & crafts, picnics, barbecues, talks from guest speakers and movies.
Clients are assisted with transport to the Support Centre in Belmont, if required, and enjoy a cooked lunch.
Home @ Home: The Home @ Home program involves small groups of people who share a common language, culture or interest and is held at a participant’s home or nominated meeting place. Morning tea, lunch and recreational outings are included. Participants may bring lunch with them or go out somewhere to share a meal. This provides an alternative for people who are not comfortable with larger groups.
Party @ Basia’s: This provides an opportunity to meet fortnightly on Friday afternoons for a high tea and have some fun. The program is designed for clients from multicultural backgrounds and usually includes special entertainers, dancing, and music.
Internet Café: In our Internet Café social group, seniors can learn new computer skills at their own pace in a fun environment. Some of the skills we teach include understanding how to be safe and secure online, photo and video editing, using social media and working on individual projects in a group setting.
Other care and services we provide:
- Allied health support
- CHSP and HCP
- Community access & inclusion
- Home maintenance/gardening
- LGBTIQ + support services and advocacy
- Meals/shopping
- Medication supervision
- Nursing care
- Personal care
- Community service
- Respite care
- Some services are outsourced
- transport to appointments & shopping
If you are a senior living anywhere in the Perth metropolitan region, Mandurah or Peel, please reach out and talk to us about how we can support you.
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