Developing a community rehabilitation and lifestyle service for a remote Indigenous community
Cairns, Alice, Geia, Lynore, Kris, Sylvia, Armstrong, Elizabeth, O'Hara, Amy, Rodda, Danielle, McDermott, Robyn, and Barker, Ruth (2022) Developing a community rehabilitation and lifestyle service for a remote Indigenous community. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44 (16). pp. 4266-4274.
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Abstract
Purpose: Community rehabilitation is an essential health service that is often not available to remote Australians. This paper describes the first cycle of a collaborative project, between local community members, allied health professionals and a university, to co-design a community rehabilitation and lifestyle service to support adults and older people to stay strong and age well in place.
Methods: An action research framework was used to develop the service for adults in two remote communities, one being a discrete Aboriginal community. The first cycle involved planning for, and trialling of a service, with observations, reflections and feedback from clients, community members, university students and health service providers, to inform the subsequent service.
Results: Over two years, stakeholders worked collaboratively to plan, trial, reflect and replan an allied health student-assisted community rehabilitation service. The trial identified the need for dedicated clinical and cultural supervision. During replanning, three key elements for culturally responsive care were embedded into the service: reciprocity and yarning; holistic community-wide service; and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentorship.
Conclusions: An action-research approach to co-design has led to the establishment of a unique community rehabilitation service to address disability and rehabilitation needs in two remote Australian communities.
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