Providing Culturally Competent Disability Services to Persons Born in other Countries May 6 - 8, 2002

Culturally safe models of rehabilitation for indigenous Australians

Kendall, E.
Associate Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences
Griffith University, Logan Campus
Meadowbrook, Australia
e.kendall@mailbox.gu.ed.au

Abstract

Recent research has identified three principles that define the culture of Aboriginal people as it pertains to disability service provision and rehabilitation. First, families are central to the delivery of care. Second, vital importance is attached to so cial networks, and third, there is a significant distance between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. Most traditional urban disability and rehabilitation services tend to exclude families, isolate people from their social networks and are delivered alm ost exclusively by non-Aboriginal people. Thus, existing services are fundamentally inappropriate for Aboriginal culture, accounting for the poor utilization of rehabilitation and health services by Aboriginal people with disabilities. Sadly, poor utiliza tion of services can lead to blaming the consumer and closure of services rather than inspiring a search for meaningful alternatives. This paper will explore the meaning of disability and rehabilitation in an urban Aboriginal population, and will examine the utility of a community-based model of rehabilitation.

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