Enhancing the Lives of Older Refugees

This resource, developed in Australia, provides guidance, information and resources for aged care workers when working with older people from a refugee or refugee-like background. This resource refers to these people as older refugees. The goals of the resource are to:

• build the capacity of aged care services to recognize and respond to the care needs of older refugees
• increase the capacity of aged care services to provide care and support to older refugees
• help staff undertake assessments of older refugees and plan for their care in a way that is culturally competent
• improve communication and relationships between different services as well as between staff working in these services
• inform and assist the ongoing development of policies, practices and procedures related to caring for older refugees.

Key issues discussed include:

1. The older refugee’s individual life experience.
2. The impact of loss and grief on older refugees.
3. The older refugee’s aging process.
4. The wider impact of the refugee experience on older age.