Interim Evaluation of the Northern Territory Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Aged Care Workforce Development Projects - Attachments
4.4 Ti Tree
Table of contents
4.4.1 Community
The Anmatjere region is centred around the town of Ti Tree, nearly 200 km north of Alice Springs, on the edge of the Tanami desert. The region has a number of smaller communities and outstations: Nturiyu, Laramba, Willora, Engawala, Alyuen, Woolla, and Pmara Jutunta. The Township of Ti Tree and the communities of Pmara Jutunta, Laramba, Engawala have the largest population base. The area around Ti Tree has a population of around 1,450 people of whom about 130 are non-Indigenous99.Ti Tree has a population of around 169100. Approximately 60% of the population speaks Anmatjere as a first language. The community was established in 1974 following the incorporation of Pmara Jutunta Social Club, however no one really knows why it was named Ti Tree. In the days when drovers would drive cattle overland to Queensland the area was used to water the cattle. Since then the community has grown from a minor settlement to one of the larger communities in the region101.
Despite its arid setting, visionary farmers have put Ti Tree on the map as a valuable horticultural area, where the annual table grape and melon harvests are a huge success due to the year-round sunshine and abundant underground water supply. Ti Tree and surrounding communities are part of Central Desert Shire.
Facilities include a health clinic, school, police station, art centre, aged care centre and roadhouse. Along with the council, these facilities form the primary source of employment for locals.
The community has a health clinic that provides all general health care to the community. In 2005, the LGANT report identified that the clinic also had a doctor that visited once a month and other health practitioners, including a dentist, psychologist, ear–nose and throat specialist, a paediatrician and optometrist. Emergency cases are medivaced directly to Alice Springs when required102.
4.4.2 Aged Care Service
Ti Tree Aged Care (Anmatjere Flexible Aged Care Services) provides centre based day care, domestic assistance, meals, personal care, laundry, respite, social support and transport to around 35 clients including 11 HACC clients and 24 Flexible Aged Care clients (7 in Wilora, 8 at Six Mile station, 9 at creek Camp at Ti Tree Town). As some of the clients live at outstations, a considerable amount of time is spent transporting food to the clients. The majority of workers at Ti Tree are locals; however two staff members have moved from another community (with aged care experience) and were able to get work in the aged care service.Staff were satisfied with the training overall, but said that they already had many of the skills that they learned in the training. All but one of the workers had been working in aged care for over 3 years; one had over 10 years experience. Workers expressed (and it was observed) that further training in dementia may assist them as they have some clients with altered cognition. In addition, staff were keen for the day centre environment to be enhanced to better meet the needs of the clients who come to the centre. Presently, these clients talk with each other, assist with laundry and interact with staff, but there are no structured leisure interest programs in place, nor do staff have experience in running such a program.
4.4.3 Pre-Training Telephone Interview
At the time of the pre-training interview, Ti Tree Aged Care had five care workers, one supervisor and one coordinator, making a total of seven staff. The five care workers were all in converted positions and had previously been CDEP workers. All seven staff are Indigenous. The coordinator reported that the conversion process had a positive impact on the service, citing that it had added stability to the workforce and service delivery had improved as a result. Similarly, of the six workers interviewed, five were in converted positions and reported that things such as hours, job responsibility and job satisfaction were much better than when on CDEP.Training had already commenced at the time of the pre-training interview and all staff had been participating, including the coordinator.
- Coordinator: Training has opened their eyes about how important they are to the oldies. They want to do more and more. They are so proud of themselves.
4.4.4 Post-Training Site Visit
The following training had been delivered at the time of the site visit.Certificate IV in Aged Care - 1 participated and achieved the Certificate
99. LGANT Report 2005 Audit of Employment Opportunities in Remote Communities in the Northern Territory
100. Grants Commission 2007 http://www.bushtel.nt.gov.au/northern_territory/community_search_display?comm_num=18964
101. ibid
102. LGANT Report 2005 op cit
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