The health, wellbeing and quality of life of older Aboriginal people and their communities is the focus of a new research project from Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA).
NeuRA Aboriginal Health and Ageing Senior Research Fellow and Gamilaraay woman, Dr Chontel Gibson, will work alongside a dedicated team of researchers, and Aboriginal communities on “Co-designing and integrating older Aboriginal voices into strengths-based models of care” for health and aged care services.
“This project has been years in the making: building trust, working side by side with Aboriginal communities and their partner organisations, and staying committed to what matters most,” said Dr Gibson.
“This project aims to expand, embed and evaluate a strengths-based model of care in health and aged care services in local communities. The project will also develop an evidence-based national guideline to support aged care and health service delivery to Aboriginal people.”
Older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are central to their families and communities, sharing cultural knowledge, providing leadership and offering intergenerational care.
“Historically and to this day, Elders and older people have been powerful advocates for culturally safe health and aged care systems,” Dr Gibson said.
“Today’s older people were involved in the establishment of many community-controlled health services which were established in the 1970s and are current board members on Aboriginal Medical Services. This project’s focus is on reciprocating care, which includes honouring the deep and enduring contributions our Elders and older people have provided and continue to provide.”
The strengths-based model at the heart of this project was developed by, with and for Aboriginal Elders, older Aboriginal people and their communities. Dr Gibson said the model would assist service providers with tools to break down Western health constructs so they can use Aboriginal knowledge and voices respectfully to have direct and positive impact on older Aboriginal people.
“At the core of this project is respectfully listening to Elders and older Aboriginal people, and that means putting the things we learn into practice,” Dr Gibson said.
“The strengths-based model holds and reflects Aboriginal wisdom, helps people listen respectfully and communicate appropriately. It aims to promote the health and wellbeing of older Aboriginal people by providing a framework for service providers to value Aboriginal wisdom and knowledges in their everyday practice.
“This project will give service providers practical, culturally grounded steps to implement strengths-based strategies with confidence and impact.”
This includes encouraging health and aged care service providers to critically reflect on contexts, like the impact of Australian history on contemporary service provision, professional biases and racism.
The project was successful in the National Health and Medical Research Council’s Targeted Call for Research: Addressing the Needs of People with High Healthcare Service Utilisation Scheme, receiving $3.6 million. Dr Gibson said the NHMRC grant funding would support two new local research positions in each of the community partner organisations, including Orange Aboriginal Medical Services, Western NSW Primary Health Network and Booroongen Djugun Ltd.
“These research positions will enable collaborative work with older Aboriginal community members and service providers to expand and integrate strengths-based approaches into everyday practice,” Dr Gibson said.
The project will be rolled out over a four-year period, building on the existing research and practice knowledge from the perspectives of Aboriginal communities and their service providers.
The Australian Association of Gerontology (AAG), Australia’s peak multidisciplinary association connecting research, policy and practice in ageing, and National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ageing and Aged Care Council (NATSIAACC), the national body advocating for culturally safe, trauma-aware and healing-informed ageing and aged-care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and older people, will facilitate the final stages of the project, which is the development and dissemination of a national policy guideline.
This project draws together a team of expert researchers including Professor Pat Dudgeon (University of Western Australia), Donna Stanley (Western NSW Primary Health Network), Associate Professor Adrienne Withall (UNSW), Professor Yin Paradies, Scientia Professor Kaarin Anstey (NeuRA & UNSW), Professor Kim Delbaere (NeuRA), Associate Professor Kylie Radford (NeuRA), Dr Louise Lavrencic (NeuRA) and Dr Ellen Finlay (NeuRA).
