P2‐351: Lungurra Ngoora: A pilot model of care for aged and disabled in a remote Australian Aboriginal community—Can it work?

Community care for Indigenous older people: An update

“…The implications for community aged care practice are that services need to be established in a genuine partnership with local communities, incorporate culture into the design and operation of the service, and involve community members in an ongoing and meaningful capacity [27], as has clearly been achieved in some aged care models [14,17]. The use of culturally appropriate clinical pathways and care plans is also essential and possible with the availability, and continued development, of relevant and valid clinical tools and approaches.…”

“…Rates of dementia among rural and urban Aboriginal people in New South Wales (three times higher than the non-Indigenous population) have also since been confirmed [10] and are estimated to be similar in the Northern Territory [11]. Responses to the findings of these high prevalence rates have included developing specialist training programs for the primary healthcare workforce [12], developing an understanding of carer support needs [13] and piloting innovative models of care [14]. Practitioners who work with older Indigenous Australians now have access to culturally appropriate validated tools for dementia screening [7] and depression [15] which are a significant advancement, as is the availability of nationally accredited training for care workers, supported by resources such as the Dementia Learning Resource for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities (https:// fightdementia.org.au/about-dementia/resources/indigenous/ dementia-learning-resource-for-aboroginal-and-torres-straitislander-communities).…”

“…In the community of Looma in the Kimberley, the Lungurra Ngoora model of care was developed based on the needs of Aboriginal caregivers and local service providers identified through a large qualitative study [14], and trialled for one year following community development principles [15]. The recommended model requires the various services currently providing community care in remote communities to pool funds and co-manage with the Aboriginal community council-based and -run service, ensuring one key access point in each community.…”

“…The NGO played an important role on the management committee including ensuring that the community council was heard and recommendations acted on by the service providers. To have optimum results in Aboriginal community care, there has to be community participation at all stages, including development, management and implementation of the program [14].…”

“…Community participation is required at all stages including understanding client, carer and community needs [13] and the subsequent development, management and implementation of the program [14]. Policy development to underpin service development should be driven not just by an 'evidence base' but by a 'contextual evidence base', and involve community development approaches [20].…”