The Australian Government has launched a free national sign language interpreting service for senior Australians who communicate in Auslan and receive or want to access aged care services.
Minister for Aged Care Richard Colbeck announced, “It will ensure that these people can participate in the assessment, planning, and review of their care – something which may have been more difficult in the past.”
Certified interpreters will be able to provide Auslan, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages, American Sign Language, International Sign Language, signed English for deaf or hard of hearing consumers, tactile signing and hand-over-hand for deafblind users.
Both face-to-face and online interpreting, including on-demand video remote interpreting, will be on offer nationally, seven days a week and after business hours when required.
The service supports people to engage with:
- Aged Care System Navigators
- My Aged Care
- Regional Assessment Services
- Aged Care Assessment Teams
- Home Care Packages providers
- Commonwealth Home Support Program providers
- Residential aged care service providers
- Other organisations involved in the provision of Australian Government funded aged care services.
All aged care provider can access service
When a provider or assessor organisation contacts the sign language interpreting service for the first time to organise an appointment for a client, further information about your organisation will be collected to fully register your organisation on the booking platform. Once registered you will receive a booking code which can be used each time you book an interpreting service. Bookings can be made on behalf of your clients through Auslan Connection’s booking service. Contact:
Auslan Connections call centre: 1300 010 877
email: interpreter.bookings@deafservices.org.au
facsimile: 07 3892 8511
SMS: 0407 647 591
It is strongly recommended that, when possible, bookings be made well in advance to ensure the availability of an interpreter.