Metrics details. The ageing population of the culturally and linguistically diverse CALD population is increasing in Australia. This is because the number of early migrants in Australia is ageing, coupled with increasing family reunification. Findings show that while all the five A's of access to care services were barriers for CALD older adults, accommodation and acceptability of services were the major areas of concern due to the lack of cultural sensitivity of such services in Australia.
Researchers, practitioners, and policymakers on ageing could leverage these findings to improve cultural practice sensitivities when supporting these populations. Peer Review reports. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse [CALD] people, defined as persons born overseas, have a parent born overseas and speak a variety of languages, are increasing in Australia [ 10 ]. This percentage is expected to increase as immigration policies facilitate parents and grandparents migrating to Australia [ 61 ] bringing to the fore emerging health and social care needs of older adults from CALD communities [ 13 ].
This warrants the need to explore the access and barriers to formal aged care services for CALD older adults in Australia. Aged care services, sometimes referred to as care services, is a formal arrangement that encompasses a variety of support services for older people including home support, respite home, and residential facility services, and are provided at a subsidized rate for citizens and permanent residents by the Australian Government [ 21 , 68 ].
Older migrant adults, referred to as the CALD people in Australia, require greater access to formal care services due to their susceptibility to poor health conditions [ 37 , 87 ]. The demand for formal aged care services, such as residential aged care facilities, home support care, and respite care, is on the rise in many Western countries, including Australia.
This heightened demand can be attributed to the increasingly busy schedules of family and friend carers [ 54 , 58 , 62 ]. These individuals often find themselves balancing their professional responsibilities, careers, and other familial duties, ultimately constrained in their capacity to provide comprehensive care to their older relatives [ 47 ]. Consequently, over the past decade, an increase in the availability and utilization of formal aged-care services has been observed in these nations [ 77 ].
