Caring for home and community
Collecting pandanus leaves for weaving are Community Care clients Dianne and Margaret (left) with West Arnhem Regional Council HACC officers Joyce Djogibar and Christine Nabobob.
THE West Arnhem Regional Council (WARC) is assisting people to stay in their own homes and on their communities by providing care, meals, advocacy and support services to people living with a disability or are frail and aged.
In Gunbalanya, WARC Community Care Team Leader Cherie Nichols says the staff also take elders out onto country.
“We have weekly outings for our clients to engage in cultural activities including fishing, collecting pandanus, and hunting for turtles,” Cherie says. “We usually try to take other family members along to help with everything, and it’s also a good opportunity for them to gain cross-generational education with the elders. The old ladies absolutely love it, getting out on their country and collecting pandanus to weave baskets.”
Home and Community Care (HACC) Officers Christine Nabobob, Jackyy Najawarlarr Lee, Louise Garnarradj, Barbara Gurwalwal, Joyce Djogibar, Kathy Kerinauia cook and deliver breakfast and lunch to all clients five days a week, as well as weekend packs to aged care clients.
“We also prepare breakfast for clients who come to the centre, prepare lunches, and also cater to special occasions such as Christmas lunch,” Cherie says. “Myself or Joyce will pick people up and take them shopping or to the clinic, or to the centre, and we advocate on their behalf with Centrelink, housing and banking agencies.”
For clients like Brian McDonald, the Gunbalanya Community Care centre is a great place to get a good breakfast under his belt, have a yarn, and catch up with news. Brian, who grew up speaking Warlpiri, does not speak the local language of the Gunbalanya area, Kunwinkju.
“I grew up on Yuendemu community, and went to a boarding school east of Alice,” Brian says. “I had lots of mates there from the same community, but I have no mates there now. Here I can shower, wash my clothes, have breakfast, and sit and have a talk and listen to ABC Radio.”
Brian enjoys regaling visitors with stories of his adventures across the Red Centre and Australia’s north. For Brian and his wife from Gunbalanya, Dorothy Nabobob, the resource centre is a home away from home, with Dorothy’s sister Christine Nabobob on the Community Care staff. Christine loves teaching other staff how to cook, Cherie says.
“We get around five or six people coming here for breakfast,” she says. “We upgraded the centre in November last year, with a new plasma TV, and beautified the outside of the building with a garden and outdoor lounge setting, and a barbecue. We had a great Christmas party here and since then more and more elders are coming every day.
Now it’s nice and cool, with new air-conditioning as well.
“In the morning we pick up some clients and bring them here, and we do centre-based day care, along with our core business of cooking and delivering meals to around 36 clients each day.”
"I make sure the people I live with also learn how to cook. I teach them how to make damper and cook healthy food for their family."
Community Care Officer Kathy Kerinauia works two jobs and speaks three languages: Kunwinjku, English, and Tiwi.
“I was brought up by nuns who taught me English, and I learned how to do cooking back home on the Tiwi Islands,” Kathy says. “I make sure the people I live with also learn how to cook. I teach them how to make damper and cook healthy food for their family. I enjoy teaching and learning.”
As well as working at HACC, Kathy works at Kunbolkh Kunred Karrinahnarren, the community safe house in Gunbalanya, also run by the West Arnhem Regional Council.
“I love the Community Care job. I get to know other people too, and I enjoy the company of the people I work with,” Kathy says. “We have a good team who cooperate and do what needs to be done. We pick up clients from 8 o’clock and start here at 8.30.”
With the help of funding from the Australian Government, WARC delivers services to clients in Jabiru, Minjilang, Warruwi and Gunbalanya. Other services include respite for carers, personal care, cleaning, shopping cultural outings, transport to clinic and other services.
