Factsheet: Aged Care

• In 2017, there were 3.8 million (15%) Australians aged 65 and over of the total population (2018 AIHW)
• By 2057, it is projected there will be 8.8 million (22%) older people in Australia of the population and by 2097, 12.8 million people (25%) will be aged 65 and over (2018 AIHW)
• In 2016, over 3 in 10 (37%) people aged 65 and over were born overseas (2018 AIHW).
• One-fifth (20%) of people aged 65 and over in 2016 were born in a non-English speaking country (2018 AIHW).
• According to the 2016 census, 7.4% and 1.8% of the Australian population born overseas are from India and Sri Lanka respectively (ABS 2016).
• Very often people with dementia, which tends to affect the language part of the brain, people will have more and more difficulty speaking a second language and will tend to revert to their native tongue (Settlement Guide: dementia care for migrants, SBS 6th September 2016)
• One in five people with dementia reportedly has a cultural and linguistically diverse background (The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, Australian Government 2018).
• Several barriers to equal access and use of services perceived or experienced by CALD communities, such as English proficiency, misinterpretation of body language, culturally inappropriate model of services, perceived to be irrelevant services due to lack of diversity in the workforce etc. (Australian Institute of Family Studies, Australian Government, 2008).