A co-badged NARI-MARC forum was held on 4^th December 2025 at NARI titled Connecting Through Language: A Forum on Translation Tech in Aged Care. The forum brought together a multidisciplinary group of people to discuss how we can use translation technology to better support communication with older people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds in aged care. The event was designed for people who have direct experience using or supporting translation and communication for older adults in aged care or health settings.

Discussions were held to focus on the role of translation technology in care. The information discussed will contribute to the development of practical guidelines for the use of translation technology in aged care. ​

Dr Christa Dang, Research Fellow at NARI facilitated the day. The first session included short presentations showcasing current practices and recent work in translation technology and included:

• Magdalena Biadala-Sahingoez (Australian Multicultural Community Services): “Bridging Language Barriers: Empowering Our Workforce and Clients with Real-Time AI translation” 

• Dr Jim Hlavac (Monash University): “How do people in aged care with limited English proficiency communicate with others? How do others communicate with them?”  

• Monita Mascitti-Meuter (St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne): “Talk to Me: Addressing risk and cultural safety of language applications in the clinical setting”  

• A/Prof Frances Batchelor (NARI): “A Framework for Implementing Technology into Home-based Aged Care”   

• How do people actually manage communication when interpreters aren’t available or appropriate? What are the ethical, practical, and cultural implications? 
• What makes it easier or harder to implement translation technologies in aged care settings?  
• Build a map of the most useful and appropriate ways translation technology could be applied, and where it adds the most value.