Indigenous culture at the heart of new home care project
A new $1.4 million culturally-sensitive Indigenous seniors home care project, designed for Bateman’s Bay in New South Wales, has been agreed to and launched between aged care provider IRT Group and the Katungul Aboriginal Corporation Community and Medical Services (ACC&MS).
Indigenous seniors are set to benefit from a new initiative (Source: Shutterstock)
The project is designed to suit Indigenous cultural preferences and recognises that Aboriginal seniors have a connection to country and a desire to age in place, while also aiming to support older aboriginal people to stay in their own homes as they age.
Following the government grant funded project’s launch on 9 April signified by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), there is expected be a first meeting of the Project’s Steering Committee, formed to guide the project’s community-based and community-led approach to Indigenous aged care over the next three years.
IRT Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Patrick Reid says the project addresses barriers to accessing aged care by assisting Aboriginal seniors to apply for government home care funding assistance.
He also adds that IRT’s registered training organisations, IRT Academy, will support the project with delivery of a Certificate III training package for Indigenous trainees to provide culturally-appropriate home care services.
“Through the work of our IRT Foundation, we aim to provide equity in aged care service provisions to all seniors in the community,” Mr Reid says.
“We’re proud to partner with Katungul which has been working for the last 25 years to enable Aboriginal people to live healthy lives, enriched by a strong living culture, dignity and justice.”
CEO of Katungul ACC&MS Robert Skeen also emphasised the connection to country experienced by Aboriginal Elders that is a key driver of the project.
“At the heart of our philosophy of Koori Health in Koori Hands is the health and wellbeing of our Elders,” he explains.
“By our Elders maintaining their lifestyle and connection to culture and country, we will be able to keep them independent and at home for longer.”
Following the Project’s Steering Committee’s first meeting, a Koori Aged Care Community Yarn Up information session will also be held.
This session will have experts on hand to answer questions about the benefits of Koori Home Care, as well as the training offered by IRT Academy.
