Community-led models of care

About this theme

Community-led models of care place culture, family, community, relationships and Country at the centre of aged care.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally safe aged care is not only about clinical support. It is also about belonging, identity, self-determination, healing, language, cultural continuity and the ability to remain connected to Country.

Aged care services can strengthen care when they are shaped by community leadership, relationship-based practice, culturally safe environments and a workforce that understands the people and place it serves. 

In the selected case studies, community-led models of care were shown through:

• Community controlled governance and trauma-informed relationship-based care at Jimbelunga
• Strong Indigenous leadership, cultural learning, yarning-circle handovers and workforce support at Juniper Guwardi Ngadu 
• Deep community co-design of the built environment and model of care at Yutjuwala Djiwarr.

Overall, they identified that:

Community-led aged care is strengthened when services are designed with community, not simply delivered to community.

Methods

This themed case study was based on both interviews and existing published evidence of community-led aged care in rural and remote First Nations communities. See individual case studies below, for more details.

Why this is important

Community-led models of care added value by:

• Placing culture, family, community and lived experience at the centre of aged care 
• Supporting dignity, belonging, identity and healing for older people who may have experienced trauma, disconnection or social disadvantage 
• Enabling care to be delivered in ways that keep older people connected to Country, language, family and community 
• Showing how culturally grounded environments, relationships and local leadership can strengthen both care quality and cultural safety.

How community-led models worked

Jimbelunga’s (pronounced: Jim-bell-unga) model is built around connection, diversity, self-determination and healing. Care begins with relationships. Staff learn who matters to the person, what supports belonging and how culture, family and lived experience shape care needs. [1]

Juniper Guwardi Ngadu (pronounced: goo-wahr-dee, nah-doo) uses relationship-based care in a remote setting. Staff take time to learn each person’s story, family connections and cultural background. Daily yarning-circle handovers support communication, trust and shared learning across the workforce. [2]

Yutjuwala Djiwarr (pronounced: Yoot-joo-wah-la Jee-warr) shows how community co-design can shape both the physical environment and the model of care. Elders, families and community members helped guide decisions about the site, layout, outdoor spaces, family areas, cultural practices and connection to Country. [3]

Across the examples, community-led care was not a separate program. It was built into governance, admission, care planning, workforce support, environment, partnerships and daily routines.

Implementation supports

Implementation relied on a mix of governance, workforce, cultural and environmental supports.

Leadership and governance

• Aboriginal Community Controlled governance and cultural leadership
• Strong Indigenous leadership embedded in place
• Trusted relationships with local communities, families and service partners
• Decision-making that reflected local priorities and community-defined understandings of good care.

Workforce and relationships

• Staff who can build trust, rapport and cultural connection
• Culturally safe orientation and ongoing cultural learning
• Buddy systems, yarning-circle handovers and relationship-based communication
• Practical workforce supports in remote areas, including staff accommodation where housing is limited.

Care planning and service design

• Care plans shaped by each person’s culture, history, preferences and relationships
• Trauma-informed approaches that consider triggers, responses and individual needs
• Family involvement before and after admission
• Partnerships with primary health, allied health, specialist services and local organisations.

Built environment and place

• Care environments that support connection to Country, family and community
• Spaces for family gathering ceremonies, outdoor living, pets and cultural practice
• Design choices that meet aged care requirements while protecting cultural intent.

Practice implications

Community-led care is most effective when it is:

• Built into service design, not added on later
• Shaped by local cultural leadership and community relationships
• Supported by a stable, confident and culturally capable workforce
• Delivered through care planning that reflects the person’s life, culture, family and preferences
• Enabled by physical environments that support cultural safety and connection.

Key considerations for implementing community-led models of care

• Work with the community to design care, not just deliver services. 

• Treat culture, Country, family, language and lived experience as central to care quality. 

• Begin relationship-building before admission and carry it through care planning, daily routines and workforce practice.

• Support the workforce with cultural learning, time, supervision and practical supports that strengthen continuity of care.

Relevant case studies

Visit the links below to read more about the individual evidence-base used to develop our themed case study on community-led models of care.