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RESEARCH ARTICLE
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Workforce training needs to address social and emotional wellbeing in home-based Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aged care

Adriana Parrella A B * , Jonathon Zagler https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5573-248X A B , Matilda D’Antoine A , Tina Brodie A B , Kate Smith C , Aunty Martha Watts D , Tameeka Ieremia E , Graham Aitken E , Alex Brown F G and Odette Pearson https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9877-6509 A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Wardliparingga Aboriginal Health Equity, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia.

B Adelaide Medical School, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia.

C Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.

D South Australian Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation, Salisbury Downs, SA, Australia.

E Aboriginal Community Services, Mile End, SA, Australia.

F National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.

G Indigenous Genomics Group, Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA, Australia.

* Correspondence to: adriana.parrella@sahmri.com

Australian Health Review https://doi.org/10.1071/AH23236
Submitted: 12 November 2023  Accepted: 29 February 2024  Published: 26 March 2024

© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of AHHA.

Abstract

Objective

To explore the training needs of the home care workforce in supporting the social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples receiving aged care services through the Home Care Package (HCP) Program.

Methods

A mixed-methods design including (1) a focus group and interview with coordinators of HCP Program services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across metropolitan and rural South Australia in April and June 2022, and (2) a desktop review of training, professional development opportunities and resources for existing and pre-entry workforce addressing the SEWB of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in aged care across the Vocational Education Training and higher education sectors in South Australia, the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet, the Department of Health and Aged Care website and aged care email alerts between December 2021 and September 2022.

Results

Five themes representing workforce training needs were identified: cultural safety, trauma-informed care, case management, compliance with funding rules and preferred formats for training. The desktop review identified a paucity of formal training, professional development and resources within the context of addressing the SEWB of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in aged care.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that ongoing practice-based professional development learning opportunities are needed within organisations to enhance peer-learning and support. These need to be available together with dedicated formal training programs and practical resources on meeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ SEWB in aged care.

Keywords: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, aged care, education and training, equity, Indigenous health, social and emotional wellbeing, workforce.

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