Supporting Equity, Respect, and Person-Centred Care with the interRAI Culturally Appropriate Assessment Model (CAAM)
The interRAI Culturally Appropriate Assessment Model (CAAM) is designed to ensure that assessments are not only clinically robust, but also culturally responsive. It acknowledges that culture profoundly influences how individuals experience health, illness, caregiving and support. By embedding cultural awareness into the assessment process, interRAI promotes equity, dignity, and trust in support planning and delivery.
Key Principles of the CAAM
The model is grounded in the values of cultural safety, partnership and person-centred care. It supports assessors to:
- Tikanga: Engage respectfully with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, including Māori, Pacific peoples, and other ethnic communities.
- Whakawhānaungatanga: Recognise and respond to cultural values, beliefs, and practices that influence health and wellbeing.
- Mātauranga: Adapt communication and assessment approaches to align with the person’s cultural context, language preferences and worldview.
- Manaakitanga: Collaborate with whānau/family and community supports to ensure holistic and inclusive care planning.
A Way of Working, Not a Separate Tool
The CAAM is not a standalone tool. It is a way of working that enhances the use of the interRAI Home Care Assessment. It is supported by training and guidance to help assessors integrate cultural responsiveness into their everyday work.
In 2020, the Ministry of Health and Technical Advisory Services (TAS), which included interRAI, jointly commissioned a service design review to identify and evaluate future opportunities for interRAI Services. The executive summary and full report outlining the findings and recommendations from this review are available in the documents below:
Tangata Tiriti and Self-Directed Training
As CAAM is designed to support assessors outside of kaupapa Māori services in engaging as Tangata Tiriti, interRAI Services has gathered valuable insights from kaumātua, whānau, and assessors. These contributions have informed the development of a self-directed training programme, empowering assessors to build cultural competence and confidence in their practice.
Click here to experience the CAAM module.