Analysis of Health Needs: Aged Indigenous Population in Melbourne

This report examines the health needs of the aged Indigenous population in Melbourne, Australia, focusing on the challenges faced by this demographic. It explores the prevalence of dementia, the need for culturally safe residential aged care (RAC) facilities, and the importance of culturally competent staff. The report also analyzes the socioeconomic profile of the community, including workforce demographics, income levels, and the growing elderly population. It highlights the need for increased aged care facilities, particularly in rural areas, and emphasizes the importance of community engagement and peer support to improve the psychosocial health of the aging population. The analysis utilizes census data and various reports to support its findings and emphasizes the need for policy changes to meet the health needs of this vulnerable population.

Health needs of indigenous
population in Melbourne
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Topic 1:
THE NEED OF THE AGED INDIGENOUS POPULATION IN
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

 The Melbourne area houses close to 4,485,211 people and 0.5% of the total
population is comprised of the aboriginal or the indigenous populations.
 According to the census data the area houses close to 24000 aboriginals with
respect to the greater Melbourne area (censusdata.abs.gov.au, 2018).
 The total number of older or aged individuals in the Australian territory is
23801892, with one among six being over 65, 2.1% being over 85, and close to
3500 people are at or over 100 years of age.
 In the greater Melbourne, the total number of aboriginals living in the area are
30,143, among them 10% belong to the elderly populations
(melbourne.vic.gov.au, 2018).
 These older culturally diverse population have special health needs.
Australian population and aging

 There are significant challenges for the older patient population
living in the area
 Staff shortage and lack of infrastructure in the suburban
Melbourne (melbourne.vic.gov.au, 2018).
 0.7% of the older populations live away from the city and have to
migrate to the city to avail health care services.
 A significant lack of residential aged care or RAC facilities for the
people living in Melbourne
 The staff shortage and staff strike is very common in the greater
Melbourne (health.vic.gov.au, 2018).
 The number of culturally compatible residential facilities are
exceptionally low (Aihw.gov.au., 2018)
 Need for greater cultural safety in the RAC facilities with culturally
diverse staff.
Health needs of aged aborginals

 Close to 50% of the total aged patient population residing in a
facility are in dire need for mental health support
 Dementia is the highest reported mental health issue
 The health needs of the dementia patients includes activities of
daily living, respite care, social inclusion opportunities and
counseling or therapeutic support (Beattie et al., 2014).
 A culturally diverse aged individual requires cultural safety,
dignity, privacy, confidentiality and respect for traditional
understanding of health.
 These facilities can be provided by RACs with culturally diverse
staff (Bagshaw, 2018)
 The aged care needs for dementia patients in Melbourne is better
and culturally safe care facilities with skilled and culturally
competent staff and policies safeguarding the aged indigenous
members of the society.
Aged care needs and
Dementia

Topic 2:
Community socioeconomic profile of the
area

 A major and relatively young with a population of 4.6 million people.
 1.7 million households and a relatively young population with a
median age of 36
 Good sized workforce with 61% of the population belonging to the
working age (melbourne.vic.gov.au, 2018).
 40% of the employed individuals hold a managerial position hinting at
economically stable community.
 11% works in health and social care, 11% in Manufacturing, 11% in
retail trade, 9% in scientific positions, 8% in education and training,
6% in construction, and rest in finance, wholesale trade and transport
(invest.vic.gov.au, 2018).
 close to 32% have weekly income of A$300 – A$599 and 30% over
A$1,000 per week.
 The median income of the affluent society is A$2,346 on a weekly
basis. However, 12% belongs to poverty (planning.vic.gov.au, 2018).
 Can be considered a financially growing and prosperous city
Economic state and
employment

 Considering the population profile, the percentage of the older people (60
and above) in Greater Melbourne had been 20% in the year of 2011
 Within the gap of 5 years, the percentage has increased to 21% in the
area (censusdata.abs.gov.au, 2018).
 The elderly population has been growing and is expected to grow further
in the coming years.
 According to the survey data, the percentage in increasing at a steady
rate of 1% rise every five years and hence the percentage is expected to
rise by a 6-10% in the coming 30 years (melbourne.vic.gov.au, 2018).
Population statistics with
respect to aged care

 Not enough aged care facilities in the region to meet the needs of the growing
population
 The remote and rural areas need greater emphasis for better infrastructure and
accessibility for the aged, especially for the culturally diverse patients
(health.vic.gov.au, 2018).
 Need for raising the staffing ratio for the RAC facilities, specially in the rural and
remote regions. Preferably culturally diverse and competent staff.
 Need for more peer support groups and community engagement centers as well
with culturally safe community inclusion programs for improving the psychosocial
health of the rapidly aging population of Greater Melbourne (Jeon et al., 2012).
Analysis of the population
trends

 2016 Census QuickStats: Greater Melbourne. (2018). Retrieved from
http://www.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/2GMEL
 Aihw.gov.au. (2018). Profile of Indigenous Australians- SNAPSHOT. [online] Available at:
https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/3cef7f3c-136f-4ca7-991d-ee61cce33ece/7_1-indigenous-a.pdf.aspx
[Accessed 17 May 2018].
 Bagshaw, E. (2018). Census 2016: Indigenous population in NSW and Victoria doubles. Retrieved from
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/census-2016-indigenous-population-in-nsw-and-victoria-double
s-20170831-gy7vum.html
 Beattie, E., O'reilly, M., Strange, E., Franklin, S., & Isenring, E. (2014). How much do residential aged
care staff members know about the nutritional needs of residents?. International journal of older people
nursing, 9(1), 54-64.
 Dementia services in Victoria. (2018). Retrieved from
https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/ageing-and-aged-care/supporting-independent-living/dementia-services
 For older people - City of Melbourne. (2018). Retrieved from
http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/community/health-support-services/for-older-people/Pages/for-older-p
eople.aspx
 Greater Melbourne demographics - Invest Victoria. (2018). Retrieved from
http://www.invest.vic.gov.au/resources/statistics/greater-melbourne-demographics
 Jeon, Y. H., Luscombe, G., Chenoweth, L., Stein-Parbury, J., Brodaty, H., King, M., & Haas, M. (2012). Staff
outcomes from the caring for aged dementia care resident study (CADRES): a cluster randomised
trial. International journal of nursing studies, 49(5), 508-518.
 Residential aged care facilities. (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/planning-reform/residential-aged-care-facilities
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