Benetas welcomes new Manager, Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing

Benetas is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Zanatta as the new Manager, Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing (The Centre).

Paul brings deep expertise to the role in the areas of policy, advocacy and strategic support to industry professionals. He has worked as a Registered Nurse in aged care and also supported the aged care industry working for the then industry association, Aged and Community Care Victoria.

The Centre is auspiced by Benetas and funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (the Department) through its Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) program. There are PICAC projects in each of the states and territories that are similarly auspiced by a variety of organisations including approved providers, ethnic communities, councils or private consulting organisations. The Centre is the PICAC project funded to support Victorian approved providers.

The Centre’s objective is to improve the partnership between aged care providers, CALD communities, and the Department to ensure that aged care service providers are informed on best practice in the delivery of culturally appropriate care. They provide training, guidance, resources and support to aged care providers and their personnel to:

• assist them in meeting their obligations under the Aged Care Quality Standards linked to commitments made in the Aged Care Diversity Action Plans
• respond to the differing needs of older people from CALD communities.

The Centre is a respected source of independent expertise to aged care providers in Victoria to help them develop and deliver culturally inclusive policies and practices.

Benetas CEO, Sandra Hills OAM, said Paul’s expertise in the aged care sector would help to drive the Centre’s crucial work.

“I am looking forward to Paul’s contribution in leading the team to deliver on the Centre’s vision of helping aged care providers to deliver inclusive and accessible care for older Victorians.

“Our support of the Centre strongly aligns with our vision of a positive, fulfilling experience of ageing, where everyone can live their best life in environments that respect their independence and individuality.”

Paul said he was excited by the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of older Victorians from CALD backgrounds and the aspirations of the new Aged Care Act and standards which have strengthened rights and obligations for cultural and linguistic diversity and inclusion.

“Our team is looking forward to building the capacity and capability of aged-care providers to deliver services that are welcoming, inclusive and accessible.

“The Centre provides a range of independent services to the industry including multilingual resources, training and development, webinars for aged care providers, and other tools focussed on addressing the needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The Centre has also welcomed new team members, Senior Advisor, Rosemary Fenech, Training and Regional Community Engagement Officer, Rachelle Dagher and Promotions and Projects Officer, Sophie Miller, who all share a passion for addressing the cultural needs of older people in our proudly diverse community.

To find out more about The Centre’s work and how aged care providers in Victoria can access their services click here.