A "culturally safe" aged care facility for the elderly Indigenous community in Lake Macquarie and the Hunter is earmarked for Awaba.
On Thursday the Aboriginal community-controlled Awabakal Ltd and Biraban Local Aboriginal Land Council will sign what is thought to be a Hunter-first memorandum of understanding to explore economic, social, and cultural goals for the two communities in developing the purpose-built facility.
Biraban LALC will provide the land and Awabakal will provide the medical care and services for the facility.
Biraban LALC chair Edward Smith said the preferred site was at Awaba.
"This MoU officially brings together an Aboriginal landowner in Biraban LALC and a strong Aboriginal service provider in Awabakal Ltd. Together, we can ensure that our community and elders are cared for in a culturally safe environment," he said.
Indigenous communities generally care for their elders at home until illness forces them into other care, however Mr Smith said traditional aged care centres mostly did not take cultural aspects into account. This included employing Indigenous staff and the capacity for visitation by an elder's extended family.
"Our elders like to see an Indigenous face, have [their language]," he said.
Awabakal Ltd deputy chair Raymond Smith said a new facility would be set up for large gatherings of family members who travel to see elders, ensuring cultural awareness was maintained: "Cultural significance and connection in our community is very strong," he said.
A report commissioned by Hamilton-based Gidgee Group, an Indigenous construction consultancy and builder, recommends the centre offer 72 beds with residential, palliative, respite and dementia care for the Indigenous community.
The report said 2504 Aboriginal people in the Lake Macquarie area may need a residential aged care facility, another 1285 Aborigines may need to seek respite care for an elder, and 1285 Aboriginal people may seek employment at an aged care facility if no longer caring for a family member. In Newcastle, there were 1770 Aboriginal people who may need an aged care facility; 821 Aboriginal people who may seek respite care; and 831 Aborigines who may seek employment in aged care.
"It is hoped the facility could service the Aboriginal community only, but we recommend that this be assessed in more detail before a final decision," it says.
Gidgee Group managing director Sean Gordon said there would be a two to three year planning and development phase for the project, which he said was significant because both the land and the centre would be owned by Aboriginal communities.
