A Community-Led Approach to Understanding How Service Providers Can Support 'Ageing well' for Older Aboriginal People...

Area of Science:

• Indigenous Health
• Gerontology
• Sociology

Background:

• Global priority on supporting older adults to age well.
• Need for community-determined strategies for Aboriginal people in colonial contexts.
• Mainstream policies perpetuate health and social inequities for Indigenous populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate how service provision can support Aboriginal people to age well in a remote Australian community.
• Examine the perspectives of service providers in health, aged care, and Aboriginal Community Controlled services.
• Identify barriers and enablers to effective aged care for older Aboriginal people.

Main Methods:

• Partnership research with the Dharriwaa Elders Group, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation.
• Qualitative interviews with 11 staff members across health, aged care, and community-controlled services.
• Thematic analysis of interview data to identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Ageing well is perceived as a collective and shared responsibility.
• Racism and discrimination are pervasive in mainstream services.
• Intersectional barriers and enablers impact 'ageing in place'.
• Trust and cultural safety are integral to service accessibility.

Conclusions:

• Effective strategies for Aboriginal ageing well require community control and cultural safety.
• Addressing racism and discrimination in mainstream services is crucial.
• Policy and practice must be informed by the cultural and socio-political context of Aboriginal communities.