2025–2026 Senior Women's Health Matters: Be Active, Age with Dignity

Why Senior Women’s Health Matters

Senior Women’s Health Matters: Be Active, Age with Dignity is a community health and wellbeing initiative developed by AfriAus iLEAC Inc (AAi) to empower senior women from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities to lead healthier, more active and socially connected lives.

The project provides culturally safe and inclusive opportunities for women to learn about healthy ageing, chronic disease prevention, physical activity, mental wellbeing, healthy eating, and social connectedness through interactive workshops, practical activities, excursions and peer support.

The program celebrates healthy ageing by encouraging women to remain active, independent and engaged within their families and communities while ageing with dignity.

Project Sponsor

This project is proudly delivered by AfriAus iLEAC Inc and is supported by Cardinia Shire Council through the 2025–2026 Wellbeing Support Grant Program.

The program reflects AAi’s commitment to reducing health inequalities experienced by multicultural communities while strengthening social inclusion and community wellbeing.

Supporting Cardinia Shire’s Liveability Plan

The project aligns with the priorities of the Cardinia Shire Liveability Plan 2017–2029 by supporting:

Improving mental health and wellbeing
Improving social cohesion
Promoting healthy eating and active living

Through culturally responsive health education, physical activity and community participation, the program contributes towards creating healthier, more connected and more inclusive communities across Cardinia Shire.

About the project

Many senior women from multicultural communities experience barriers that make healthy ageing more challenging.

Language barriers, limited health literacy, cultural expectations, social isolation and reduced access to culturally appropriate services often prevent older women from participating in mainstream health and wellbeing programs.

Be Active, Age with Dignity has been designed to address these barriers by providing a welcoming environment where women can:

improve their physical health
increase their understanding of chronic diseases
participate in gentle exercise
improve nutrition
build confidence
strengthen friendships
enhance mental wellbeing
connect with local health and community services.

The program brings women together through learning, movement, shared cultural experiences and mutual support.

Target Audience

Primary Audience

Senior women aged 55 years and over from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities living within Cardinia Shire, including women who speak:

Punjabi
Hindi
Urdu
Arabic
Dari
Burmese
Samoan
Fijian
Chichewa
and other emerging community languages.

Secondary Audience

The project also benefits:

family members and carers
multicultural community leaders
local health professionals
community organisations
volunteers
Cardinia Shire residents
partner agencies promoting healthy ageing

Why does this project matter?

Project Need

AAi’s community engagement and Care Finder surveys identified several barriers affecting the health and wellbeing of CALD senior women.

These include:

Health Inequalities

Many women have limited access to culturally appropriate health information and healthcare services because of language barriers and unfamiliarity with Australia’s health system.

Chronic Disease

Conditions such as:

diabetes
hypertension
arthritis
osteoporosis

are common but are often poorly managed because women may not receive information in a language they understand.

Social Isolation

Many older migrant women experience loneliness following migration, retirement or the loss of family support networks.

Social isolation can significantly affect emotional wellbeing, confidence and quality of life.

Physical Inactivity

Many women are unable to participate in mainstream exercise programs because they are not culturally appropriate or do not provide safe and welcoming environments.

Mental Wellbeing

Mental health continues to be surrounded by stigma in many cultures.

Many women are reluctant to seek help despite experiencing anxiety, stress or depression.

Digital Exclusion

Limited digital skills reduce access to online health information, telehealth services and community support opportunities.

The project addresses these challenges by providing culturally inclusive health education, physical activity and opportunities for social connection that empower women to age well and remain active members of the community.

Project Objectives

The program aims to:

Improve physical health through regular movement and gentle exercise.
Increase knowledge about chronic disease prevention and healthy ageing.
Promote healthy eating and nutrition.
Improve mental health and emotional wellbeing.
Reduce loneliness and social isolation.
Increase confidence in accessing healthcare and community services.
Build stronger friendships and peer support networks.
Encourage lifelong healthy lifestyle choices.
Celebrate cultural diversity while promoting active ageing.
Empower senior women to age with dignity, independence and confidence.

These objectives support improved physical and mental wellbeing, stronger community participation and increased access to culturally responsive healthcare.

Key Activities

Health Education: Chronic Diseases

The health education workshops provide practical information that helps participants better understand common health conditions affecting older women.

Topics include:

healthy eating and nutrition
diabetes awareness
hypertension management
arthritis
osteoporosis
healthy ageing
preventive health checks
accessing local health services
medication awareness
healthy food choices
brain health
hydration
healthy lifestyle planning.

Participants also complete practical activities using the Be Active, Age with Dignity Activity Workbook, including creating healthy meal plans, learning about balanced nutrition, healthy shopping and weekly food tracking.

What Participants Said

“I didn’t realise small changes to my diet could make such a big difference.”
“Now I understand why regular health checks are so important.”
“I feel more confident asking questions when I visit my doctor.”
“The information was easy to understand because it related to our culture.”

Physical Fitness and Mental Wellbeing

Physical wellbeing sessions encourage participants to remain active through enjoyable and achievable activities suitable for older women.

Activities include:

gentle stretching
chair-based exercises
walking activities
movement challenges
mindfulness
memory games
gratitude activities
healthy food excursions
nature walks
social picnics
peer discussions.

The sessions demonstrate how regular physical activity supports mobility, balance, confidence, emotional wellbeing and healthy ageing while reducing social isolation.

Participants are encouraged to continue these activities at home and within their communities using the project workbook.