Summary of Best Practice Guidelines

The following are best practice points for providing culturally appropriate dementia care for residents (Peri & Cheung, 2016).

• Ensure dementia assessments including the InterRAI-LTCF are: culturally appropriate; have been reviewed for cultural bias; and recognise the impact of culture and the migration experience on individual behaviour. Comprehensive assessments must take a multidimensional interdisciplinary approach to understanding a client and their family and carer needs.
• Use professional interpreters who are familiar with aged care settings; dementia assessments, and the development and review of care plans if required.
  Identify and support the cultural, linguistic and spiritual needs of people with dementia to ensure care plans are person centred.
• Consider the different cultural representations and perceptions of dementia when discussing the residents and their families.
• Provide residents and their families with dementia information in their preferred language if available.
• Ensure that culturally competent care is provided across all care delivery services.
• Implement a culturally appropriate activities program with therapies that are designed to promote and enhance the quality of life for people with dementia – e.g. culturally appropriate music therapy and reminiscence therapy.
• Ensure the physical environment is culturally appropriate and supports people with dementia by providing a safe, comfortable, familiar and orientating environment.
• Ensure that all staff have received dementia training that is person centred in approach, and training in communication.
• Ensure that all staff have received cultural awareness training such as CALD 1 Culture and Cultural Competency, CALD 2 Working with Migrant Patients, CALD 3 Working with Refugee Patients, CALD 4 Working with Interpreters as well as have viewed the CALD Older People Resource for Health Providers available via www.eCALD.com.
• Ensure all managers have access to “Managing Culturally Diverse Teams” training.
• Ensure all staff have access to “Working in Culturally Diverse Teams” training.