MindCare Collective

11/02/2026

Older Australians from rely heavily on the Commonwealth Home Support Programme (CHSP), often delivered in language and embedded within trusted community organisations.

As the transition to Support at Home progresses, this article by Professor Bianca Brijnath in Australian Ageing Agenda examines why seniors may face increased risk if equity is not explicitly built into the reform design.

Prevention, social connection, and culturally safe service delivery are not “add-ons” — they are foundational to healthy ageing.

Reform must strengthen these foundations, not weaken them.

🔗Read article: https://www.australianageingagenda.com.au/executive/policy/cald-seniors-at-risk-in-chsp-move-to-support-at-home/

The transition will fail without an equity plan for culturally and linguistically diverse communities, says Professor Bianca Brijnath, who shares five actions for a fair outcome.

04/02/2026

We’re pleased to share that our submission to the Senate inquiry into the transition from the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) to the Support at Home Program has now been published by the Australian Parliament (Submission 50).

Prepared by Professor Bianca Brijnath, Associate Professor Josefine Antoniades, and Ms Yen (Jun) Nguyen, and drawing on the work of the , the submission highlights why CHSP has played a critical role for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities — particularly through community-based, preventive, and early-intervention models that support social connection, health literacy, and ageing in place.

As aged care reforms progress, the submission emphasises the importance of:
🧩Retaining community-based and in-language engagement
🛡️Protect prevention and early intervention, not just consumer-driven services
👥Support bicultural and community-based workforces for CALD communities
🗺️Prevent provider exit in CALD thin markets
⏱️Reduce waiting times and service gaps during and after transition

We welcome continued discussion on how aged care reform can remain equitable, preventive, and responsive to Australia’s diverse communities.

🔗 Submission published by Parliament: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/CHSPTransition/Submissions

28/01/2026

The team has recently delivered a series of co-design workshops across Melbourne and Adelaide to shape an evidence-informed program focused on reducing the risk of dementia among multicultural women.

Delivered in Arabic, Greek, Hindi, Punjabi, Swahili and Vietnamese, these workshops brought together 43 multicultural women who generously shared their priorities and insights. Their feedback is directly informing more inclusive, culturally meaningful approaches to brain health.

This work was made possible through close collaboration with community organisations that bring deep local knowledge and trusted relationships, including:

Multicultural Communities Council of SA (MCCSA)
PRONIA
Australian Vietnamese Women's Association
Community Abundance Inc
Mental Health Foundation Australia

Thank you to everyone for their contributions, especially the women who participated for their time, openness and insights. Their contributions are central to ensuring that MindCare4Women reflects the needs of multicultural communities.

👉 Learn more about MindCare4Women here: https://www.mindcare.org.au/about-us/our-projects/mindcare4women

22/01/2026

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The Moving Pictures Films bring real stories and practical guidance to people caring for someone living with dementia. Co-designed with Indian carers, healthcare professionals and researchers, these short films reflect everyday experiences, from understanding dementia and managing daily challenges, to navigating health services and looking after your own wellbeing as a carer.

If you support families from Indian backgrounds, or are caring for a loved one yourself, this is a resource worth watching and sharing.

👉 Watch the films here: https://www.mindcare.org.au/caring-for-dementia/watch-india-films

12/01/2026

Hello 2026!

Happy New Year from all of us at the MindCare Collective!
Our team is ready for another year of working alongside communities to support brain health and dementia care and prevention.

This year, we’re looking forward to:

🧠 Strengthening community-led dementia risk reduction
🤝 Deepening partnerships with multicultural communities
📚 Sharing practical, culturally meaningful resources

👉 Visit our website to explore our work, resources, and community initiatives: https://www.mindcare.org.au/

Looking forward to another meaningful year ahead.

10/12/2025

🌏 MindCare Collective | 2025 Impact Snapshot

As 2025 draws to a close, we reflect with deep gratitude and pride on a year of growth, collaboration, and meaningful community impact across the .

Together with our Program Advisory Group ( ), community partners, educators, communities and research teams, we strengthened our mission to support dementia prevention and care through , , and culturally responsive approaches for culturally and linguistically diverse ( ) communities.

This year has been marked by:

✨ The launch of new community resources
🤝 Stronger partnerships nationwide
🗣️ Deeper engagement through in-person meetings and co-design workshops
💻 Continued progress on our digital tools and research programs

Looking ahead to 2026, we’re excited to launch our digital trial, release enhanced community resources, and continue embedding co-design at the heart of our work.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey! Your commitment, insight and community leadership continue to drive our impact forward. 💛

🌞✨ Wishing our partners, collaborators and communities a safe, restful festive season and a wonderful start to the new year.

03/12/2025

, including Alzheimer’s disease, is now Australia’s leading cause of death, surpassing ischaemic heart disease. New ABS figures show it was responsible for more than 17,500 deaths in 2024.

But there is hope: is possible and it begins in our communities.

Ethnic community organisations have long called for culturally relevant, accessible resources that raise awareness and support lifestyle changes, especially during midlife, a critical window for protecting long-term brain health.

The latest article from Neos Kosmos, featuring Associate Professor Josefine Antoniades, highlights how the resources are helping multicultural communities take action through in-language, easy-to-use education on brain-healthy living.

🔗 Read the full story: https://neoskosmos.com/en/2025/11/19/news/community/the-power-of-prevention-in-the-fight-against-dementia-is-in-the-hands-of-our-community/

25/11/2025

❓Have you checked out the newly launched resources?

La Trobe University has released a free, culturally tailored dementia-education kit to support councils, community organisations and bilingual educators.

Developed with multicultural communities, the kit provides in-language slides, facilitator guides, participant handouts and take-home brain-health tips in , , and .

🧠 Why it matters:
Up to 40% of dementia cases may be preventable through lifestyle-related risk reduction. These resources help communities take action in ways that are culturally meaningful and accessible.

📥 Explore the resources: https://www.mindcare.org.au/preventing-dementia/educator-and-participant-resources

20/11/2025

✨ Launching MindCare: Culturally Tailored Dementia Education Resources

Last week, co-design partners, researchers and community representatives gathered to celebrate the launch of , a suite of culturally tailored educational resources designed to increase understanding of the modifiable risk factors for dementia.

Co-created with community members, health professionals and service providers, provides practical, evidence-based materials in , , and . These resources empower bilingual community educators to deliver clear, engaging workshops that strengthen understanding of dementia risk factors and support brain-healthy living.

Educators have access to:
🖥️ In-language presenter slide packs with extensive speaker notes (Vietnamese, Greek, Hindi, Arabic)
📘 A detailed facilitator manual (English)
📝 Participant handouts in-language and in English
💡 Take-home tip sheets on dementia risk reduction (Vietnamese, Greek, Hindi, Arabic)

All materials are free for non-commercial use and available here:
🔗 https://www.mindcare.org.au/preventing-dementia/educator-and-participant-resources

A heartfelt thank you to all our co-design partners, community members, organisations and service providers for contributing their insight, expertise and lived experience to bring to life. 💛

Ethnic Communities' Council of Victoria
Multicultural Aged Care
South Western Sydney Local Health District
SydWest Multicultural Services
Umbrella Multicultural Community Care Services Inc.
FECCA (Federation of Ethnic Communities'​ Councils of Australia)
Hellenic Community of Western Australia Inc.
Muslim Women's Association of South Australia (MWASA)
Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing
Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC)
Greek Welfare Centre Community Services (GWSCS)

19/11/2025

✨ Partnering for Impact: MindCare Collective’s In-Person PAG Meeting

Last week, we brought our Program Advisory Group (PAG) together for an in-person meeting - a valuable opportunity to share progress across the MindCare programs and reflect on next steps. The PAG is currently chaired by Mrs Dilnaz Billimoria.

It was wonderful to reconnect with our PAG members, whose expertise and lived experience continue to shape the cultural relevance, quality and direction of our work. Together, we:

🔍 Reviewed key milestones across MindCare Digital and MindCare4Women
📣 Discussed upcoming priorities, including community workshops, trial activities and new resource development
🗣️Reflected on the role of the PAG, ensuring our co-design and governance processes continue to centre CALD communities

A heartfelt thank you to all our PAG members for your guidance, thoughtful feedback and commitment to promoting dementia risk reduction and brain-healthy living across culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

We look forward to the next phase and to continuing this journey together. 💛

10/11/2025

🥟 Dumplings Against Depression 2025

This past Saturday (8 Nov), our team joined the event at the Immigration Museum - spending the day connecting with volunteers, community organisations, mental health practitioners, and members of the public passionate about multicultural mental health.

We were proud to showcase our programs, highlighting the importance of positive mental health and social connection in supporting brain health and dementia prevention.

It was inspiring to see so much interest and positive feedback about our work. Thank you to everyone who stopped by to learn more and share their experiences.

The event was presented by the Victorian Multicultural Commission in partnership with Solis - Culture & Mental Health, and funded by the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing.

💬 We look forward to continuing these important conversations about mental wellbeing across communities.