The Healing Foundation urges the Federal Government to act on the recommendations of the Interim First Nations Aged Care Commissioner Andrea Kelly now before it is too late for Stolen Generations survivors.
Most Stolen Generations survivors are aged 50 or older; the age at which many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people require aged care due to significant health disparities.
Survivors are a ‘gap within the gap’ and experience additional disadvantage as a result of being forcibly removed from their families and the abuse they suffered following removal, compared to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of the same age who were not removed.
We reinforce recommendations in Commissioner Kelly’s Transforming Aged Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People report that an equity-based approach is needed to achieve equal access and outcomes for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, particularly Stolen Generations survivors.
This starts with ensuring survivors will not face unaffordable out-of-pocket costs as the new Support at Home program is rolled out. The report details that survivors “expressed a strong preference for home or community-based care, avoiding institutionalised settings wherever possible.” The report also highlights that the assumption most older people will have access to wealth, superannuation and home equity to fund co-contributions does not reflect the realities for Stolen Generations survivors, or the ongoing impact of race-based policies.
Many survivors were denied opportunity for intergenerational wealth creation and there is no published evidence or modelling to demonstrate Stolen Generations survivors can afford additional co-contributions, with estimates suggesting the average pensioner could be faced with paying an additional $100 per week to stay at home.
“A number of the activities such as housework, shopping, transport and meals have recently been classified as ‘non-clinical care’ and are likely to attract co-contributions under the new Support at Home program. These are services that we know are needed for Survivors to be able to age safely in their homes, they should not come at a cost” said Healing Foundation CEO Shannan Dodson.
“Sadly, many survivors are passing without the care they are entitled to. The Interim Commissioner spent time in our communities, listening to survivors about the challenges they face in accessing aged care. There needs to be an articulation of what percentage of the invested $5.6 billion dollars into the aged care system will directly target urgent measures to ensure Stolen Generation survivors can age with dignity,” said Healing Foundation Chair Professor Steve Larkin.
We back calls from the Commissioner that an urgent dedicated aged care response to the needs of Stolen Generation survivors and their families is prioritised.
This should include:
- Mandatory cultural safety training for all aged care providers, workforce and government staff with a specific focus on Stolen Generations survivors; staff must understand the historical trauma of the Stolen Generations.
- Training should be developed in partnership between government, aged care providers, Stolen Generations survivors and community-controlled organisations.
- The survivor focused content should be developed by Stolen Generations Organisations and The Healing Foundation.
- More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander led aged care services – Aboriginal community-controlled organisations already deliver trusted health and aged care services but need long-term dedicated funding and support to expand their reach and meet the needs of their communities. As Stolen Generation survivors told me, “They know us and what we need”.
- Flexible, home-based care options – Many survivors prefer to age at home, supported by community networks and connection to Country. Developing and expanding culturally appropriate home care packages is essential.
- Rebuilding cultural connections – For those who lost family and cultural ties through forced removal and needing to relocate to access services, aged care should actively support reconnecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with kin, Country and community. A dedicated funding stream should be made available for this purpose.
- Research to strengthen our understanding – Led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations and researchers, we need a strong evidence base to inform the design of culturally safe care for Stolen Generation survivors and their families.
- There is a network of Stolen Generations Organisations on the ground across the country who are already delivering locally informed, culturally appropriate trauma informed care for survivors. Yet they are not being supported. The Department of Health and Aged Care must implement the 2021 Royal Commission into Aged Care and support these existing organisations to enter the aged care system as providers.
“We know that survivors must have access to holistic support and services to address the ongoing impact of removal on their health and well-being. The Commissioner’s report clearly outlines evidence-based actions and recommendations for designing a culturally safe and responsive aged care system – we know this makes a difference, not just for survivors but also their families and carers” Ms. Dodson stated.
The Healing Foundation fully supports the establishment of an independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aged Care Commissioner. This role is essential to oversee the necessary changes and ensure accountability for a response that meets the urgent needs of Stolen Generations survivors and their families.
