25/06/2026
The community consultation on aged care services brought together participants from Bhutanese, Nepali, African Indian, Fiji and Afghan communities, providing a valuable platform for meaningful engagement and knowledge sharing. The interactive discussions and individual consultations highlighted the diverse perspectives, experiences, challenges, and opportunities that culturally and linguistically diverse communities encounter in accessing and navigating aged care services.
Despite the short notice, the session was exceptionally well presented and generated insightful feedback from participants. The depth and quality of the discussions underscored the importance of community-led engagement in informing more inclusive and responsive aged care policies and practices.
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Madhuri Maski for her outstanding interpreting support, sincere thanks to Pabitra Bhattarai madam for support and input in discussions, Madhav Adhikari Guruji for his valuable contributions, and KP Dhimal, Narayan Koirala Ji, D S Kafley ji Loren from Fiji and all participants for sharing their perspectives and constructive feedback. Special thanks are also extended to Ahmed from the Afghan community for his thoughtful insights and contributions.
I am equally grateful to Dr Melika from AMES and Samridi from FECCA for their excellent facilitation, professionalism, and commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment that enabled open and productive dialogue.
Such consultations play a critical role in strengthening culturally responsive aged care services and ensuring that the voices of diverse communities are meaningfully represented in service planning, policy development, and implementation. Through continued collaboration and engagement, we can work towards a more equitable, accessible, and person-centred aged care system for all.
Thank you to everyone for your participation, support, and commitment to this important work.
