‘An Old People Story’ is a DVD produced to promote aged care services across the MacDonnell Shire Council and assist people when engaging those services.
The animated DVD depicts situations and scenarios affecting older people in Central Australia and explains the Aged Care Services provided by the MacDonnell Shire Council in eight of its communities.
By dramatising personal issues that are experienced caring for old people, the animation describes the scope of organisational assistance available through the MacDonnell Shire.
Manager Aged Care Nina Bullock said the Service worked hard to develop culturally safe partnerships with clients, families, the community and local
health professionals.
“Such partnerships help us to identify existing strengths and build the capacity of Aboriginal clients and staff to manage their own lives with confidence.”
The DVD aims to make clients and their carers better informed when making decisions about their lives, and also helps promote intergenerational care within the community.
The DVD will be used not only to assist in the Aged Care Services delivery, but also as a tool when training new staff.
With 100 percent Indigenous employment in the community staffing of their Aged Care Services, the MacDonnell Shire Council has a consistently high Indigenous employment record and continually looks to support and increase the number of Aboriginal employees in senior and skilled roles.
The DVD format features Indigenous languages from the MacDonnell Shire as options for listening, so viewers can learn about Aged Care Services in Luritja, Pintupi, Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjajarra, Warlpiri, Western Arrernte or English.
The decision to use animation to tell the Aged Care story is also important as it manages cultural sensitivities by not depicting individual people and therefore maintaining its value to the community for a long time to come.
MacDonnell Shire’s Aged Care Services commissioned locals, animator Leonardo Ortega and scriptwriter Katelnd Griffin, to produce the DVD.
