When dietitian Sophia Malie began working at the Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation near Campbelltown in south-west Sydney, the first thing she learnt was "elders first".
It's a mentality shared by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, who are rallying across the country to shield their older people from the spread of COVID-19.
Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation case worker Kim Bell delivers groceries to 73-year-old Ivan Wellington.Credit:Kate Geraghty
At a time where anxiety levels are high and it's "everyone for themselves", Ms Malie said much could be learnt from the Indigenous culture of caring for older people.
"At the end of the day, [elders] are the ones who lead the community. Everyone looks after them and looks up to them, so it's about protecting them," she said.
"The reason why everyone is still standing is because the elders were around, and they've got so much to teach us… so it's kind of like giving back."
At the Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation, the elders who – under normal circumstances – attend cooking, exercise and line dancing classes are a tight-knit group, passionate about keeping fit and healthy. For some, the weekly classes are their only social outings.
Eyvonne Bell, 64, has taken up boxing in her backyard to stay fit during self-isolation. Credit:Kate Geraghty
CEO Darryl Wright describes the elders as "butterflies": "They fly in, sit down and rest and talk and yarn and joke, then fly out. But they're active all the time."
They are also the two-time reigning champions at the Elders' Olympics, an annual event which sees cohorts of Indigenous over-50s from south-west Sydney compete in various sports, including traditional games, to promote a healthy lifestyle – and vie for the coveted title.
But, with most elders suffering from chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, they are also particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus.
In a bid to encourage elders to self-isolate, while maintaining good health, Tharawal staff are home delivering packages with essential items such as fresh produce, meat, flour and toilet paper. They are doing regular check-ups and encouraging elders to "get creative" with home exercise.
Staff at Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation in Airds prepare food care packages that will be delivered to elders.Credit:Kate Geraghty
Ivan Wellington, 73, said the group was doing a "wonderful job".
After receiving his first home delivery this week, he'' no longer needs to venture to the local supermarket in the early hours of the morning to get his grocieries.
"If you could only see the smile on my face," he said.
Mr Wellington, a Jerrinja man from the NSW South Coast, said the care model reminded him of how the Indigenous community would look out for each other when he was younger.
"When you caught a couple of boxes of fish or anything that was in abundance, vegetables or whatever, you shared with your community, your family," he said.
Mr Wright said most elders were simply happy to know someone was thinking of them.
"We treat them like gold, because they're important to us," he said.
Source: Read Full Article
