“Caring For People Who Cared For Us,” is the motto of AASHA Australia Foundation that provides culture care for the aged and elderly. To know more about the Non Profit Aged Care Organisation, Indus Age spoke to Mrs. Bijinder Dugal and Mr. Anurag Vasisth from team AASHA to understand it better.

What is AASHA?

The word ‘AASHA’ has its origins in Sanskrit, which means ‘Hope’. At AASHA Australia Foundation, we continually thrive to instill hope in the minds of seniors from South East Asian, Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities. We do so by facilitating culturally appropriate aged care and related services for these community members.

What motivated the formation of AASHA?

Our Foundation aims to bridge the gap between Australian Government Health services, Service providers and our community members. That was precisely the motivation behind formation of AASHA. That said, we are lean organization and our purpose will most certainly evolve as the needs of our community evolve.

What are the services offered by AASHA?

The key services provided by our foundation are as under:

• We spread proactive Dementia care awarenessthrough targeted events. The flagship event being our annual ‘Mental Health Forum’.
• In collaboration with PICAC (Partners In Culturally Appropriate Care),we evangelize Australian Governments’ services with seniors in South East Asian CALD communities. For example- My Aged Care
• We provide assistance and guidance to seniorsin necessitous circumstances (emotional, financial and social).
• We run social hubswhere seniors can achieve their optimum quality of life, by engaging them in Wellbeing and Social activities.
• We provide specialist cultural trainingto service providers.
• We own and manage a database of ‘Culturally trained’ volunteers and specialist resources for ’In Home’ care.

How can people who need help, access AASHA?

One can visit www.aashaaustralia.org.au to know more about AASHA.

How can the community members offer assistance to AASHA?

Our community can offer assistance in three ways:

1)Firstly (and importantly) by donating their time and skills.

2) Secondly, by making a financial contribution through donation

3) Ideally-both. That is donating time and making financial contribution. Feel free to contact us via www.aashaaustralia.org.au to register your interest and how best you can collaborate with AASHA.

How do you think AASHA is different from other caring organisations?

We are the only organisation which focuses on Mental Health and Dementia prevention and care as a primary cause. We have a team of specialist medical personnel in our Board and Advisory board to enable us assist to our community.

Our organisation is ‘for the community-by the community’. Our entire team-right from Board of Directors, Advisory Board, Executive committee to tactical supporters, is made up of volunteers who are highly successful in their respective fields of work and donate their time to AASHA, driven by their passion to support AASHA’s objectives.

Upcoming event/s related to AASHA”

We are hosting our annual flagship event focussing on Mental Health awareness and celebrating NSW Grandparents day on 5th November.

We encourage and invite our community members to come and support us on 5th Nov by attending the ‘Eight to Eighties’ event. This event is about celebration of life, celebrating our seniors and providing platform of intergenerational bonding. Please come and be part of it…. please come and join AASHA family.