Bringing Standard 1 to Life: Embedding Culturally Safe Care in Remote Aged Care Practice
Rosie Breen

Date and Time

Wednesday, November 11, 2026, 11:30 AM - 11:45 AM

Theme / Track

Ageing well, longevity and social context

Presentation Format

Concurrent

Delivering culturally safe care remains a persistent challenge in aged care, particularly in remote Aboriginal communities where services are often shaped by standardised models that do not reflect local culture, identity, or connection to Country. This creates a gap between regulatory expectations and meaningful, person-centred care (Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission [ACQSC], 2019). This presentation shares a practice-based case study from a remote aged care facility in Nhulunbuy, demonstrating how Standard 1: The Person can be operationalised through culturally responsive care. Our approach moves beyond compliance by embedding cultural safety into daily practice, workforce behaviours, and governance processes, aligned with the National Model Clinical Governance Framework (Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care [ACSQHC], 2017). Through collaboration with the ACQSC, our service contributed to the development of educational videos showcasing culturally safe care in action, highlighting the importance of relationships, communication, and avoiding assumptions about cultural identity. A key focus is end-of-life care, where culturally safe practice is critical. Care planning is adapted to reflect each resident’s beliefs, preferences, and family involvement, recognising the diversity of cultural experiences and the importance of ceremony, connection and choice. Aligned with The Ageing Revolution, this work demonstrates how reorienting care around the individual can transform ageing into a more dignified, culturally safe experience.

Keywords

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, Community, Evidence Based Practice, First Nation People, Palliative Care

Authors

Rosie Breen