As Indians, we all know that culture affects us daily throughout our lives. It is not a day like "Native American Day" or a month like "Black History Month". It is not just some course on Native American studies we take in our school. When it comes to disabilities, there are several areas where culture is extremely important. Two of these areas are views of elder and views of time.
Cultural Issues and Our Elders
by Dr. Leander Russell McDonald
The importance of our elders
Native culture tells us we should respect our elders and take care of them in their old age. They are the keepers of the language, medicine, values, traditions, stories, songs, and dances. Oral traditions have been passed down from generation to generation throughout our history and there are elders within each of our communities keeping these stories alive to share with our younger generations. These stories are not only told to entertain people, but to also give direction on how we should live and care for one another. These values are reflected in formal caregiver services provided by staff members in our communities by Title III and Title VI Elder Nutrition Programs, Title III-C Caregiver Programs, community health representatives (CHRs) and informal caregiver services provided by family members.
The number of elders is increasing
The U.S. population as a whole is getting older. Lower life expectancy and high rates of chronic disease resulted in elder being defined at age for many tribes. Because these tribes recognize elders ten years earlier than the U.S. general population, many tribal senior programs have already begun experiencing an increase in elders eligible for services. This increase in elders is expected to continue for at least the next few decades, as advances in medicine allow more people to live longer. As families have fewer children, the number of elders as a percent of our population is also expected to grow.
Need for more and better elder services
As we will have more elders in the future, with fewer children or grandchildren to care for them, tribes are cncouraged to develop or enhance caregiving services for their elders. Tribal communities should focus on keeping the elders in their homes as long as possible through the provision of health promotion to the elders, and the provision of caregiver training to informal caregivers. Health promotion activities such as walking programs may not only assist the elder in maintaining their current health status, but may also delay the onset of chronic disease that may cause future disability. Informal caregiver training for family members is also needed to ensure the caregiver is not only providing quality care, but also ensuring they do not hurt themselves in the process. An example would be the improper transfer of an elder from bed to wheelchair resulting in a hurt back for the caregiver.
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Culture and Time |