title: Lungurra Ngoora--a pilot model of care for aged and disabled in a remote Aboriginal community--can it work?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The literature on the health of and services for older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations is relatively sparse. This study explored the development and implementation of a locally designed community service model of care for older people, and people with disability and/or mental health problems in remote Aboriginal Australia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on extensive community consultation with older people, families, carers, community members and stakeholders, a model of care was developed to address unmet needs for the target population and their carers in the remote community of Looma, in the Kimberley region of Australia. The model was implemented and evaluated over 12 months. The main outcome measures included the number of services (including home services, meals, transport, respite, personal care and advocacy) provided. Outcomes of community participation, capacity building, resources, partnerships, workforce, service delivery and cultural protection were assessed qualitatively by an external evaluator.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of people receiving community care services in Looma increased from eight to 22, and services increased in all domains from 140 total services delivered for 1 month at baseline to 2356 by the final month of the program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Lungurra Ngoora community care service model pilot project demonstrated a successful collaborative service model that addressed the care needs of older persons, those with disability and mental illness, and their carers in this remote community. The developmental approach, and model structure, could serve as a template for future delivery of services in remote Aboriginal communities.
authors.affiliation: Melbourne Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. dina.logiudice@mh.org.au
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: LoGiudice
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shadforth
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lindeman
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carroll
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schaper
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lautenschlager
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flicker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000458:organization & administration; D003256:Community Participation; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000193:education / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010344:Patient Advocacy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D019035:Rural Health Services / Q000941:ethics / Q000592:standards*; D000078329:Workforce; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples