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It’s long been accepted within many migrant communities that families look after their ageing loved ones, but now a rise in culturally specific aged care is providing diverse communities with the support they need.
The aroma of Turkish coffee and simmering Arabic spices drifts through the air at Gallipoli Home in Sydney’s west, where 89 year-old resident Sevim has been living for over six years.
Sevim, who is of Turkish origin, arrived on her doctor’s advice as one of the centre’s first residents.
“They give us Turkish food - real Turkish food,” she says with a smile. “Sometimes it’s made by a Turkish chef. When that happens, I feel like I’m back in my own kitchen.”
Sevim, who has spent most of her life in Western Sydney, says the staff’s understanding of language and culture makes all the difference.
“When someone speaks Turkish with me, I feel seen. It’s not just the food - it’s the feeling.”
Located in Auburn, this culturally specific aged care home has become a lifeline for older Australians from migrant backgrounds.
With residents speaking everything from Turkish to Arabic to Urdu, Gallipoli Home is a melting pot of cultures.
Now, the model is in high demand and attracting national attention.
Gallipoli Home has just been nominated for Ageing Australia’s national You Are ACE! award, recognising aged care workers and organisations excelling in the sector.
“As our population ages, the face of ageing is changing. We must build a system that truly reflects and respects the multicultural fabric of this country,” says Tom Symondson, CEO of Ageing Australia.
“When providers in the sector innovate like Gallipoli Home, this is the future we should be aiming for. It’s a model of care that puts culture, dignity and connection at the centre because that’s what ageing well looks like.”
Manita Khadka, a team leader at Gallipoli Health who moved to Australia from Nepal, says the diverse staff and residents is what makes the centre so inviting.
“I spend more time here than at home,” she laughs. “The residents treat me like their granddaughter. I’ve even learned bits of Turkish and Arabic through my interactions with people here.”
Gallipoli Health Services has expanded to offer home care, community programs, and a registered training organisation.
“We have 102 beds that are occupied and more than 140 people on the waiting list,” says CEO and founder Mon Begum.
“Families are desperate for a place where their loved ones can receive care that truly respects their culture.”
Tucked away in a picturesque location overlooking the Tamar River in Launceston, a boutique aged care home is making a big impression, not just in Tasmania, but across the country.
A move to relationship-based care is transforming aged care homes across the country, blurring the lines between residents and workers, strengthening personal connections, and creating true community.
A Queensland-based provider is delivering culturally attuned aged care, in crocodile country, where services have repeatedly failed to take hold for first nation communities.
As a silent epidemic of homelessness among our older population sweeps across Australia, Melbourne’s Brotherhood of St Laurence is pitching in to make a difference.
A West Australian aged and community care organisation has gained national recognition in the You are ACE! campaign for giving a stronger voice to the people they serve through its Consumer Committee.
