It's dawn in Umbakumba and the weekly barge has just arrived.
Today it's carrying vital supplies for the disability and aged care centre, a critical
service run by these local women. Lying 50 kilometres off the Gulf of Carpentaria
on Groote Eylandt, Umbakumba is one of Australia's most remote communities.
Umbakumba's isolation means it relies on the barge for everything, especially when it comes
to supplies to help the ill and elderly. We've got 30 meals
Annie and Hanna who run the service have been here since sun up planning the busy day ahead.
She needs help and she asks me and sometimes I give her advice on what to do. We are all
born here and grew up here and this is our community, Umbakumba.
One of their first jobs each morning is to prepare the daily meals on wheels lunches
more than 40 elderly and disabled people. We are family, our oldies and we respect them
and help them, make them strong. While the team prepares the lunches to be
delivered to those not well enough to get around, Bret heads out bush to pick up Loraine
from her outstation. He's bringing Loraine to the centre for a
check and to give her and her carers a break. The girls make a cup of tea for the other
ladies. We talk to them and keep them comfortable. We come to this place come and stay here for
the day. While here we eat, and we watch a video. It's good for us to have a rest. We
feel much better and it makes us strong, while we're here.
It's just amazing they're so very supportive. They take time and a lot of respect and our
girls have taken to them so they feel comfortable.
Back in the kitchen it's all hands on deck to get the lunches ready before noon.
From Monday to Friday the old people know that we are cooking meals for them and bringing
them to their houses.
And that can mean keeping the food hot for hours while travelling kilometres to surrounding
outstations to make sure that everyone in need, gets a feed.
It helps to because sometimes the old people forget about eating and their carers sometimes
are too busy with their kids so it's better off for the girls to supply meals on wheels.
Today is especially busy for the centre and Hanna. With the travelling physio in town
there's a lot of extra work to organise a number of urgent home visits.
And Polly is there some one who's caring for you at home like a family member?
Her daughter. Because the other thing I can do is have a
look at the shower and I might be able to ask the housing people to a rail in. Part
of my role, I'll provide some pillows to help her sit upright a bit more and make it a bit
more comfortable. As well as that we'll try and organise some respite in the future.
Care and support that's invaluable for the communities' full time carers.
we're seeing Jasmine she has a disabled little boy.
Jasmine looks after a disabled child and the centre offers her specialist treatment for
her son and ongoing support for her. I have to look after him because he's special
to me. And just on the back here, is fine, ‘cause
that's the best place to reach his lungs. And people understand, and if they don't understand
we go through it again with them. And that's what we're here for to help them stay in their
homes, stay in residential care. We don't want, they don't want to be in Darwin in residential
care. They stay close to the family instead of away
out from the community and family. It's good for him to stay here. Very important for the
family. There's lots of ladies who work here at the
aged care centre and they're here every day and doing a real good job. It seems like they
are all banding together really well and we get a lot of cooperation. Because I'm only
a visitor I really rely on them to give me the information and to also assist me in what
I have to do. Travelling long distances in the bush is difficult,
especially for people like Elsie who's disabled. So the team help her and others in need by
ferrying them to places they can't otherwise get to.
We take them to shopping in town to give them a hand.
This type of holistic care provides Elsie with the support she needs to be able to do
things for her family, which makes her feel useful and also helps the community.
Today the centre's also organised a special treat for the older women a trip back to country
with the local rangers. This will give them something to talk about
and think about. And not only that for their hearts, they haven't been back and they wouldn't
be going back if it wasn't for the rangers. Finally at the end while they stop to enjoy
the fruits of their labour, these proud women know exactly why they'll do it all again tomorrow.
I like helping the older ladies.