A WADTSC seminar presentation by Mihaela Safta, Former Project Officer Multicultural Communities, Alzheimer’s Australia WA on 16 November 2011.
Cultural competence is an emerging field, with efforts to define and implement the principles of cultural competence still ongoing. While cultural competence is becoming increasingly necessary for work, home, community and social lives some questions need to be asked. Can we ever measure something like multicultural competence? And how can we get there?
It is cultural competence at the individual level that matters to people with dementia and their families. Reaching a state of cultural competence will not only require gaining new knowledge and awareness, but also improved communication skills, and possibly a shift in our attitudes to cultural differences. Issues addressed in this presentation include; what is cultural competence and how is it achieved? and what are the challenges to effective cross-cultural communication?
With permission from Alzheimer’s Australia WA, the full report ‘Naming the elephants in the room: reflections on and insights into working in a multicultural dementia care environment’ can be accessed through the Professional Development/Professional Resources tabs on this website.
Click here to view the presentation and Download PowerPoint here
