Safe and inclusive aged care for Forgotten Australians

Researchers at Flinders University, in partnership with Helping Hand Aged Care and the Alliance for Forgotten Australians, have conducted research to better understand the expectations and needs of older Forgotten Australians / Care Leavers who may need or wish to access aged care services.

Forgotten Australians are a distinct group of Care Leavers who as children in the 20^th Century were placed in institutions, orphanages, missions, or homes run by Government, charities, religious groups and other organisations. It is estimated that at least 500,000 children were placed in care during this time. Forgotten Australians are distinct from other Care Leaver groups including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Stolen Generation and the British and Maltese child migrants, though the experiences, impacts, and needs of these groups overlap.

Thanks to continued advocacy by Forgotten Australians / Care Leavers, there is overwhelming evidence that the time spent in ‘care’ by the Forgotten Australians / Care Leavers was marked by neglect, abuse, and human rights violations.

Because of these experiences and their ongoing effects, Forgotten Australians / Care Leavers have reported serious concerns about their transition to older age, and especially about accessing aged and health care services.

The aim of this recommendation report is to provide a series of pragmatic recommendations for aged care providers about how to improve the safety and accessibility of their services for Forgotten Australians / Care Leavers. Indeed many of the recommendations can be implemented to improve the quality and safety of care for all older people, especially those who have survived psychologically challenging experiences.

You can access the full list of recommendations or a one-page summary of the Top 10 Immediate Actions for Aged Care Organisations below.

Enquiries about this report should be directed to project lead Dr Monica Cations at Flinders University: monica.cations@flinders.edu.au.

Support services for Forgotten Australians / Care Leavers can be accessed from Find and Connect, via their website or by phone (national phone line 1800 16 11 09 will direct to the local office).