Aim
The aim of this project is to support the provision of palliative care at home for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. When care at home is preferred, it can be provided to help connect family, culture, community, country and the spiritual wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Resources
Tailored caring@home resources have been developed and are applicable Australia-wide for clinical services, health professionals and families to help manage breakthrough symptoms safely using subcutaneous medicines. These resources are one tool to assist Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who choose to be cared for and remain at home for the final stage of their life-course.
Activities
caring@home for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Families provided:
- Tailored carer resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and patients based on extensive consultation
- Information for health professionals
- A national rollout of the resources via communication and marketing activities.
Project design and artists
Aboriginal bespoke design
The artist
This bespoke design was created by Leigh Harris of ingeous.studios.
Leigh is a graphic designer and new media specialist, and founded ingeous.studios in Cairns, North Queensland in 2003.
Leigh has traditional connections to the Kanolu people of Central Queensland and Gungarri people of South East Queensland and has been active in the creative digital space for over 20 years.
The art
This bespoke Indigenous design work, through its stylized symbolism, represents the broader work of caring@home to provide information and resources to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families who want to care for their loved one at home.
The key element to the design is the caring@home gathering place, where knowledge, through resources, can be shared with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and families to allow them to make informed decisions.
Torres Strait Islands bespoke design
The artist
Beau Pennefather Motlop. BPM
I was born in Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand) but moved to Gimuy (Cairns), Far North Queensland when I was eight years old.
My background includes Aboriginal from the Jirrbal tribe of the Surrounding Gimuy and Hinterland region, ZENADTH KES (Torres Strait Islands) descendance from the Wagedoegam Koedal (Crocodile) clan of Mabuiag Island as well as Ngapuhi from Aotearoa. My Torres Strait Island Totems are the Crocodile, Snake, Stonefish and Remora. My Aboriginal Totem is the Dingo.
2006 is when I started to take my art practice seriously and began experimenting with various mediums including pencil, pastels and acrylic paint I also do digital artwork.
I create depth and dimensions with colours, shadows and size differences, I use an abundance of detail and intricate patterns, but I also like to balance out my artwork with emptiness and quiet. My motifs and circular patterns are a unique combination drawn from my three Indigenous heritages. My inspiration definitely comes from my proud and rich Indigenous descendance as well as our beautiful tropical rainforest surroundings and our amazing animals.
The art
Sun rising - The spirits of those that have passed are once again celebrating as they are welcomed by their ancestors. My artistic representation of the Torres Strait patterns symbolise the following:
- Celebrating life with dance and family gatherings. Dancing also represents the warrior ways of old. Men and Women both take part in these celebrations of life. This ensures the continuation of culture to the next generations.
- Shells. Used for ceremonial or decorative purposes. In this artwork the shells are on Earth and transcend into stars as they crossover from the land to the sky.
- Seasonal changes. Sun up sun down, tide in tide out, weaving patterns.
- Animal totems. Torres Strait Islander cultures have one or more animal totems. These are faintly depicted rising upwards to accompany the spirts as they rise to the stars.
Acknowledgements
Consortium Members and Steering Committee
This project was conducted by a consortium involving:
- Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet
- Congress of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nurses and Midwives (CATSINaM)
- Palliative Care Australia
- Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative (lead agency).
The Steering Committee includes representatives from these organisations.
This Committee includes representatives from the following organisations:
Australian & New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine (ANZSPM) | Dr Christine Sanderson – General Councillor |
Indigenous Program of Excellence in the Palliative Approach (iPEPA) | Kelly Anderson – Senior Aboriginal Educator Nicole Hewlett - National Indigenous Manager |
National Association of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners (NAATSIHWP) | Karl Briscoe - CEO |
Palliative Care Northern Territory | Jonathan Jauncey |
Palliative Care Nurses Association (PCNA) | Anna Nicholas – Clinical Nurse Consultant |
Queensland Health - Health Equity and Access Unit, Metro South Health | Kazandra Perkins – Nurse Navigator |
Indigenous Nurse Practitioner and project consultant | Kathryn Hooper |
This Committee includes representatives from the following organisations:
Karadi Aboriginal Corporation | Emma Robertson | Senior Care Coordinator, Integrated Team Care |
Muna Paiendi | Rikki Arbon | Nurse Consultant |
Palliative Care Top End | Samantha Harrington | Clinical Nurse Consultant, Rural and Remote |
SWSLHD Palliative Care Services, Liverpool Hospital | Cheryl Porter-Pedras | Senior Aboriginal Health Worker |
WA Country Health Service | Tammy McGrath | Coordinator - Aboriginal Health Workers Palliative Care Program |
Western NSW Local Health District | Louise Brown | Palliative Care Aboriginal Project Officer |
Kathryn Hooper | Indigenous Nurse Practitioner and project consultant |