GRAI has announced support for new recommendations for Australian aged care services to introduce care standards catering to the needs of ‘sexually diverse communities’.
The National Productivity report, Caring for Older Australians was released this week and primarily reviewed the current funding models in aged care services. But the report also addressed care standards for people of diverse backgrounds including gay, lesbian and bisexual people.
The report suggested the Federal Government should ensure accreditation standards for residential and community care meet the needs of communities like the same-sex attracted community.
GLBTI Retirement Association Inc (GRAI) spokesperson Jude Comfort welcomed the recommendations but said she would wait to see the details.
‘GRAI supports the broad findings and recommendations of the report but there is still room for improvement to see LGBTI interests are included in the recommendations,’ Comfort said.
‘I think the recommendations could be a bit stronger to include us better.’
Comfort said there were currently no specific standards to cater for people of diverse gender and sexuality beyond voluntary commitments.
‘I’d like to see some more detail around the training requirements,’ Comfort said.
Last year GRAI released their Best Practice Guidelines which covered a range of strategies for aged care services to better recognise and meet the needs of LGBTI people.
The Commission said there should also be consideration for a national GLBTI aged care strategy due to the anticipated demand increase for such services.
The recommendation read: The Australian Government should ensure the accreditation standards for residential and community care are sufficient and robust enough to deliver services which cater to the needs and rights of people from diverse backgrounds including …sexually diverse communities.
Benn Dorrington
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