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The new Aged Care Act brought in a lot of policy changes, and while there are stronger commitments to rights and culturally safe care, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care Council chief executive officer Kim Whiteley said there are still Elders struggling to get care that meets their needs.
She told The Ageing Agenda that there needs to be honesty about where the reforms are falling short, and that solutions can be drawn from the work providers and First Nations communities are already developing.
Decisions being made now will shape aged care for years, she said, and it is important that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have an opportunity to influence those decisions, because they have direct experience of what is working, what is failing and what needs to change.
As such, NATSIAACC felt it was important to host its inaugural conference, which will take place in Canberra in early November.
“Across the country, our organisations are finding ways to support Elders and older people in very different circumstances. This inaugural conference brings that knowledge together nationally. There is strength in being in the same room, building relationships and recognising what we can achieve together,” Ms Whiteley said.
“For NATSIAACC, this is about strengthening a sector that can shape its own future. Our people should not have to keep making the case to be considered after decisions are made.”
Emcee Shelley Ware agreed, telling TAA that it is important for people who are caring for Elders to come together to talk about real lived experiences and talk about what is happening for Elders in spaces that still aren’t culturally safe.
But the conference is also an opportunity to look forward and explore how to create environments where Elders can thrive, age with grace and dignity, and receive care in culturally safe spaces, she said.
“People can expect to have their voice heard. It’s not very common at conferences, but this is really important for this conference – that everyone in the room has a voice and can share points of view, lived experiences, perspectives, hopes and vision for our elderly,” Ms Ware said.
First Nations people know what culture means to ageing well
For Ms Ware, there was not enough consideration given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and older people in the new Act.
“Too many Elders are still receiving care in places where cultural safety isn’t embedded or mandated. That’s an alarming concern for people that have been living and breathing culture their whole life, and to have that cultural connection taken away in their final days isn’t good enough by our government, and it needs to be reviewed,” Ms Ware said.
The theme for the conference is Ageing Our Way Through Culture, Connection and Community, and central to the message is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people know what culture, connection and community mean to ageing well. The challenge lies in ensuring the system makes provision for them, said Ms Whiteley.
“If connection to Country matters to an Elder, where does that appear in their assessment, their funding and the care they receive? Recognising a need means little if nothing follows,” she said.
“Ageing Our Way is about our Elders having authority over their lives and our communities having the capacity to support them. This gathering brings the knowledge and leadership to show what that requires.”
Ms Whiteley encouraged people to come to the conference ready to share what they know, hear how others are making care work and contribute to what needs to happen next.
“We want people to leave with practical ideas to take home, relationships that last beyond the two days and a stronger collective voice to shape what happens next. Their contributions will help inform NATSIAACC’s national advocacy,” she said.
The inaugural National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care conference will take place at the National Convention Centre Canberra on 3–4 November – find out more here.
The Ageing Agenda is a media partner for the 2026 NATSIAACC conference.
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