Please join us on Thursday, 16th September 2021, for our next Research Capacity Strengthening webinar: "Ngarraagna Giinganay ('thinking peacefully'): Co-design of a culturally-grounded mindfulness-based stress-reduction program with older Aboriginal Australians", presented by Uncle Terry Donovan and Louise Lavrencic from Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA).
Life-course stress and depression are of substantial concern for older Aboriginal people, yet translation into appropriate treatment or wellbeing programs is limited. This study aimed to co-design a culturally-grounded stress-reduction program, with an Aboriginal community on Gumbaynggirr Country. The 8-session group-based program was developed based on extensive consultation, and named in Gumbaynggirr language: Ngarraanga Giinganay. A small pilot feasibility trial was conducted with older Aboriginal people, co-facilitated by an Aboriginal clinician and local Elder. Content was aligned with community cultural understandings/practices and therapeutic principles of mindfulness. The program was feasible and acceptable to participants. Qualitative analysis indicated the program enhanced understandings of mindfulness, with benefits including helping with anxiety, overeating, relaxation, focusing on the current moment and connection to Country/Mother Earth. Improvements were seen for mindful awareness, depression, anxiety, and blood pressure. This study provides insight into partnering with Aboriginal communities through ageing research; and highlights the effectiveness of the co-design approach. Ngarraanga Giinganay has considerable potential for supporting the wellbeing of older Aboriginal peoples.
About the presenters
Louise Lavrencic is a Senior Postdoctoral Fellow working with the Aboriginal Health & Ageing Program at Neuroscience Research Australia. She is passionate about understanding the factors that affect cognitive ageing and dementia in late life, particularly with Aboriginal communities, and how we can help people to age well. Louise works across a number of projects being run by the Aboriginal Health and Ageing Team, but is particularly involved in co-designing a stress reduction program as well as a neuroimaging study investigating dementia in Aboriginal Australians.
Terry Donovan identifies as a Gumbaynggirr / Biripi man. His father was a Gumbaynggirr man and his mother a Biripi woman. Terry has had a diverse career, from military service, working in local government and non-for-profit community services, to providing education to health professionals on Aboriginal Cultural awareness. Additionally, Terry worked with the National Parks & Wildlife Service of NSW as one of 3 Aboriginal Sites Officers. As an Aboriginal sites officer, he travelled to all Aboriginal communities in NSW and collected information about Aboriginal Sacred sites, Aboriginal occupational sites and Aboriginal history & Culture. Terry is a much valued member of the Koori Growing Old Well Study team on the Mid North Coast and is employed as a Knowledge Translation Officer.
CRE-STRIDE Research Capacity Strengthening Webinars are free of cost and open to all. Please feel free to share this through your networks.
To register, click on the link below.
For more information, please contact STRIDE Project Officer, Kerryn Harkin.
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