Research method
Research field and method
This research essay would discuss the co-ordination of community care services for elderly people in the local government area in NSW. The discussion would include an analysis of the development of community care services in the local government area in Australia and a case study of Meals on Wheels in two different local government areas in the two specific local government areas in NSW with a comparative framework. As for the selection of research field in this case study, I would select North Sydney local government area in Lower North Shore Local Government Area and Leichardt local government area in Central Sydney Local Government area. The case study would focus on the co-ordination system of community care services for elderly people especially in Home and Community Care Program, and investigate and evaluate the co-ordination system . I also would like to find out and analyse the difference and similarity of the study result between the two local government areas.
General information and Statical data in Nort Sydney and Leichhardt
North Sydney LGA (Local Government Area) is located in the near city area at south of Sydney Harbor where large commercial and retail centres and industry has developed. The graph1 (Appendix 1) represents the percentage of the elderly in North Sydney LGA is similar to that of the Australian average. Also, the higher percentage of lone person in the elderly and the low percentage of elderly people who stay at institutions in North Sydney LGA in graph2 (Appendix 1) shows that elderly people in this area would have more possibility to use community services in order to stay at their own homes. 14.2% of persons over 5 years old speak languages othern than English. More than 25% of these non-English speaking persons speak Chinese languages in North Sydney LGA.
Leichhardt LGA is located in the east of Sydney LGA and residential area which young people, working class, immigrants tend to stay. This area is close to The university of Sydney and University of Technology, Sydney and the style of houses are mainly apartments or terrace houses. Contrary to North Sydney LGA, the graph1 shows the percentage of the elderly in Leichhardt LGA is the second lowest in the Sydney metropolitan area. Also, the graph2 shows the lower percentage of lone person in the elderly and the higher percentage of elderly people who stay at institutions. The higher percentage of persons who speak language other than English shows that ethnicity is more diverse in Leichhardt LGA than North Sydney LGA. The majority of the persons who speak non-English speak Italian and Greek.
Graph3 (Appendix 2) shows a comparison of weekly individual income over 65 years old between Leichhardt LGA and North Sydney LGA. In both areas the tendency of the number of low income (under $120) is quite similar. In Leichhardt LGA the weekly income of persons over 65 years old is concentrated between $120 to $199. On the other hand, the linegraph shows the highest number of persons between $200 to $299 in North Sydney LGA. Moreover, in the income over $300 the number of persons in North Sydney LGA higher considerably higher than that of Leichhardt LGA.
Source (Graph1): ABS 1997 NSW year statistics, ABS 1991 Census of Population and House
Source (Graph2): 1997 Statistical Local Data, Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services
Sources of information/Type of Data
In this research essay I would use the previous literatures and research about community services for elderly people especially in Australian context though few research have done in particular in the local government area basis. The main sources of information would include annual report, social plan, guidebook for community services produced by each local council and other relevant agencies. The analysis of demographic data in each local governemnt
area is also included.
Name of lists of relevant agencies;
North Sydney Community Service Ltd
Victoria Alice Lamkin Centre (Leichhardt concil)
ACAT (North Sydney area)
ACAT (Leichhardt area)
In addition to document information, this case study would emphasis on using qualitative data which include unstructured interviews and participant observations. Especially I would intend to participate in actual community services in the local government area through volunteer works before proceeding the formal interviews in order to look at and analyze the real co-ordination styles into a relatively deep level. My volunteer activities as a participant observer has started February 1998 and are planed to continue until finishing the research project. I would work as a volunteer in North Sydney Community Services and help Meals on Wheels, shopping services, and Linen services one or two days a week. Also I would work as a volunteer in Victoria Alice Lamkin centre (Leichhardt council) and help Meals on Wheels one day a week. During the volunteer work I would have many opportunities to engage informal interviews with clients, staffs, volunteers. I recorded these observation in the journal during fieldwork in both communities.
The sample of interview
I would take samples from various individuals and agencies which are involving community services in the two local government areas. The sample would not necessarily include all organizations and individuals which are related to community services for elderly people in these areas because of the limits of time and cost. I would make interviews in the two organizations which I involve as a volunteer in the two local governments. These community centres carry out Meals on Wheels which is the main community service for elderly people in Australia. Therefore, the result of interviews in the two community centres will show the co-ordination style and reflect the quality of the service co-ordination in each local government area.
Name of lists of organizations and individuals related to interview of the case study;
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North Sydney Council |
Administrator in aged and disability service |
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Leichhardt Council |
Administrator in aged and disability service |
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North Sydney Community Service Ltd |
Community support worker |
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Meals on Wheels administrator |
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Volunteer coordinator |
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Shopping service coordinator |
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Home visiting / transport coordinator |
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Linen service / gardening service coordinator |
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Five volunteers |
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Victoria Alice Lamkin Centre (Leichhardt Council) |
Meals on Wheels coordinator |
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Accountant / Assistant of MOW |
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Five volunteers |
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ACAT (North Sydney area) |
Social worker |
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ACAT (Leichhardt area) |
Social worker |
The design of the Interview schedule
PartA : organizational level
This part of schedule (Appendix A) contains questions which relate to the whole organizational structure. There are four categories in PartA, including 'Access to service', 'Continuity of staffing and volunteers', 'Resources and funding','Communication'.
'Access to service' would understand referral network pattern between the organizations in each local government area. 'Continuity of staffing' would show the organizational feature to continuity in each organization. 'Resources and funding' would come out basic strucuture of the co-ordination style in each organization and local government area in terms of resources. This section would investigate funding matters of community services in each organization. 'Communication' would ask the communication style for the service co-ordination in each organization and between organization in terms of inter-organizational relationship. More importantly, we would know how to prevent and solve the co-ordination problems in the real situations.
PartB : individual level
This part of schedule (Appendix B) contains questions which relate to the individual staffs' job within the organization . There are two categories in PartB, including 'The nature of the job', 'Continuity of staffing and communication'.
I would tend to focus on the human relationship inside the organization. These questions would bring the influence of the human relationship within the organization to the co-ordination pattern. Also, in individual level for volunteers, I would investigate the role of volunteers in the community and the influence to the service co-ordination. The opinions from volunteers would reflect the recent changes of the social networks and clients' opinions as well.
