Understanding Elderly Aboriginals Through Art: Aged Care Western Australia

An art collaboration to help health care professionals work with Aboriginal elders suffering from dementia has been released as a DVD documentary ‘Nungoo ngich Dunga nich’ (See me, Hear me). The collaboration included Aboriginal residents at Windsor Park Aged Care Home, their families, Noongah artist Ron Gidgup, filmmakers Arun Raj and Sean O’Keefe and staff from WA Dementia Training Study Centre (WADTSC) and Windsor Park Aged Care Home.

The Aboriginal residents and their families were invited to share their stories and created three murals, including a mural which tells the men’s stories, one that tells community stories and one that tells women’s stories. “The project started from a simple desire to bring art to the elderly Aboriginal residents to try and stimulate them into engaging in cultural activities that would awaken their spirits” said the project’s artist Ron Gidgup.

WADTSC Project Coordinator Heather Freegard, said the project will form the basis for developing training materials and processes for health professionals working with Aboriginal people with dementia in mainstream services.

“The success of the project means that WADTSC can see a way forward to making stronger connections with the Aboriginal community to work with them on areas of caring for older people” she said.

The project’s artist Ron Gidgup said the project started with a desire to bring art to the elderly Aboriginal residents and stimulate them into engaging with cultural activities.

“The most emotional highlights for me were seeing the Elders laughing, yarning, singing, playing musical instruments and just opening in the art project. Hearing them tell me about their childhoods and family members, seeing them light up each time they saw me” he said.

The staff at Windsor Park Aged Care Home said the project started as a way to develop a culturally-sensitive approach to caring for the increasing number of Aboriginal people with dementia living in residential aged care homes.

The DVD will be available through the Dementia Training Study Centre as part of a professional development package.