A call for blended supports in Remote Aboriginal Communities

Recently there was an article in the Winnipeg Free Press about Joe McLeod, who is a 70 year old man who suffers from Alzheimer’s.    Joe, who is originally from Pine Creek First Nation had to leave his home community because there weren’t enough community supports in the community to deal with the level of care that was required for Joe. http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Chiefs-calling-for-better-elder-care-after-seniors-death-119070794.html   Joe and his wife were more or less forced to move to Winnipeg because of the lack of services available in Pine Creek First Nation.  Over the years Joe had started to become increasingly aggressive and had even attacked his own wife a few years ago.  In Winnipeg Joe was living at a downtown personal care home when an incident occurred in which Joe pushed another elderly man, who hit his head and eventually died.  From the perspective of the Southern Chiefs organization this tragic incident is an opportunity to evaluate the current supports that are available to elderly Aboriginal people in remote geographical locations.  They believe that the ideal situation would still be for elderly Aboriginals to stay in their home communities where community members and family are willing and often desire to look after their aging family members, but are ill equipped and not trained to deal with diseases such as advanced Alzheimer’s and dementia.  In a study conducted by Crosato (2007) it was shown that many remote Aboriginal communities engage in what is referred to as the “Family Circle of Care” this means that many people in the family included cousins, children, aunts and extended family often contribute to the care giving duties of caring for an aged family members.   The entire family was also shown to contribute to the care of an elderly family member in various ways including providing meals, transportation, financial aid, social support and continuous care. (Crosata, 2007, p.6)  This sort of collaboration would be important to help reduce the impact of caregiver burden that could potentially affect the primary caregiver of an older Aboriginal family member.  These kinds of family supports have been shown to be an important component of life in many Aboriginal communities, with many Aboriginal community members identifying caring for family members as being a very important value that has been retained from the past. (Crosata, 2007 p.7)

One of the issues that were brought up by the incident involving Joe McLeod is the belief that many personal care homes and other health facilities don’t provide appropriate care to Aboriginal seniors with a variety of different specific health concerns, including Alzheimer’s.  According to the study conducted by Crosata (2007) many Aboriginal women surveyed found that many healthcare services provided by formal health care were not always seen as being appropriate by the Aboriginal community.  This belief was echoed by the Southern Chiefs organization who has stated that they are trying to work with the government to “move forward on new models of care, where cultural and community supports could be blended with medical care.”  (Winnipeg Free Press, April 2011)

Many of the entries in this blog have touched on the lack of services available to Aboriginal seniors living in remote geographical communities.  It has been shown that many members of many Aboriginal communities are willing and desire to provide care for older members of their community, but unfortunately do not have the resources to do so.  Blending community supports with formal health care services should be a top priority of the government, not only would this help to take some of the burden off of an overloaded provincial health care system, but it would also help to ensure that culturally competent services are provided at a community level.  With a federal election coming up there has been a lot of talk in regards to the lack of services in remote Northern communities, at this point I believe we need more than just talk, we need a government that is willing to act and make real changes for Aboriginal seniors living in remote Northern communities.

Thanks for reading.

Kendall

“Chiefs Calling for Better Elder Care after senior’s death.” Winnipeg Free Press April 1, 2011 retrieved from http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Chiefs-calling-for-better-elder-care-after-seniors-death-119070794.html

Crosato, K.E., Ward-Griffin C, Leipert B. (2007) Aboriginal women caregivers of the elderly in geographically isolated communities. The international Electronic Journal of Rural and Remote Health Research, Education, Practice and Policy 7(796)

Truth and Reconciliation

On June 11, 2008 Prime Minister Stephen Harper apologized on behalf of all Canadians for the Indian Residential Schools system. He is quoted as saying, "The government recognizes that the absence of an apology has been an impediment to healing and reconciliation. Therefore on behalf of the Government of Canada, and  all Canadians, I stand before you, in this Chamber so central to our life as a country, to apologize to Aboriginal peoples for Canada’s role in the Indian Residential Schools system" (CBC News, 2008, p.2). 

It was  determined that the government of Canada , the Roman Catholic, Anglican and United Church had  all been responsible for  causing harm to Indigenous people their families and communities between  1860 and the final closing of the last federally run school in 1996. As a result all three churches apologized for the effects of the Residential schools. The Anglican Church apologized in 1993, the United church in 1986, and the Presbyterian Church in 1994, all far earlier than did the Canadian Government.  In the year 2001 as a result of the rulings of the courts, these churches paid reparations that were to be given to Indigenous survivors who proved that they had attended a residential school. This money was given as reparation in order to help with treatment to improve their lives (Aboriginal Running, 2010).

 

Many of the survivors of Canada’s residential schools are elderly. In an article from CBC News, it indicates that “the average age of a residential school survivor is 57 years old. It is estimated that every day 5 survivors die”.  These individuals entered into the school system at a young age and have felt the effects of the schools for all of their lives. The impact that the damage of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse has had on Residential school survivors has resulted in many lawsuits against the Canadian government  as was pointed out by Chrisjohn, Wasacase, Nussey, Smith, Legault, Loiselle & Bourgeois (2002), “ The occurrence of sexual, physical and emotional abuse that occurred in residential schools that aroused the public interest,  stimulated governmental action and formed the basis for more than 8,000 civil charges against churches and the government”(p2). As a result of the law suits and allegations, in 2005 the Canadian Government issued an announcement that there would be a two billion dollar compensation package set out for survivors of residential schools. Part of the details of the agreement included an initial payout for each person who attended a residential school of $10,000, plus 3,000 per year, over 80,000 individuals are eligible. (CBC News, 2008)

                        

In 2008 another landmark event occurred, Prime Minister Steven Harper’s apology. This apology by the Nation’s leader marks the first formal apology for Residential Schools by the Canadian Government. The public’s reaction to this statement was mixed, some thought that the apology was well done, others felt that there was too much information left out, while some individuals simply thought this apology was not it was not enough (CBC News, 2008).

 

The Canadian government formed the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as part of the court approved Residential School Settlement Agreement. It was negotiated between legal counsel for former students, legal counsel for churches, the Government of Canada, the Assembly of First Nations and other Aboriginal organizations (CBC News, 2008).  

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of Canada was modeled after the truth and reconciliation hearings of post-apartheid South Africa. Its purpose is to help repair some of the emotional and psychological damages caused by government mandated schools and to help build new relationships between Canada's Indigenous People and everyone else (Whyte, 2009).  It is an official independent body that will provide former students and anyone else who has been affected by the residential schools to have opportunity to tell their stories (CBC News, 2008).

 

On July 1 2009, Justice Murray Sinclair the new chair of the commission of Manitoba, and commissioners Chief Wilton Little Child of Alberta and Marie Wilson a broadcaster from the Northwest territories formally began their five year mandate to travel around Canada in order to create a record of what had happened in Canada's Indian Residential schools between the years 1886- and 1996 (Whyte, 2009). Together these three members of the TRC will record the testimonies of our Indigenous people about their experiences in the Residential  School system that had been organized by the government and the Anglican, United, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic Church. TRC member Marie Wilson stated that "We did not get to choose our history. We cannot change the pain which Residential schools has caused, we can take a stand to support  the Aboriginal people in Canada they are important" (Aboriginal Running, 2010).

In reading research and by listening to a former residential school survivor the TRC experience has not been pleasant.  A former residential school survivor is quoted as saying “For a lot of people, when they tell your story, it’s the first time they’ve told anyone. It takes courage to tell someone else what happened to them and it is traumatic but with each telling it gets easier" (Whyte, 2009).

I had the opportunity to speak with an elderly residential school survivor who explained of the difficulties of telling her story. In fact she has decided not to tell her story because the pain is to unbearable to speak about.  The TRC may be looked at as a step for Indigenous people to heal from their experiences but it can’t erase what has happened. The residential school survivor experience for our Indigenous people can never be forgotten.

Arlene

Art Therapy with Indigenous Seniors

One of the things that I have noticed in my field placement is the role that art has to play in the recovery process for mental illness.  At my field placement a couple times a week we conduct a craft group which gives patients the opportunity to express themselves in an artistic way.  Participation in the craft group is optional, but I have noticed that many people attend this group and seem to get a lot out of their participation in the group.  Watching this group has led to me think about what the potential role of art therapy in helping Aboriginal seniors express themselves and work through trauma.  According to Recollet (2009) Arts based methods have been shown to be useful in helping trauma survivors to develop self-esteem, socialize with others and to improve psychosocial functioning.  Not only have art based therapy practices been shown to be helpful to trauma survivors, but I believe that art-based therapies would be easily adaptable to many Indigenous communities because of the importance that is placed on art and different creative forms of expression.  I recently came across a quote which I found to be quite relevant to this topic.  Apparently Louis Riel is quoted as saying “my people will sleep for over one hundred years, and when they awaken it will be the artists who lead them.”  (Gattermann, 1999)  I believe that this quote speaks volumes to the importance that art has played in the lives of many aboriginal and Métis people for many years.  There is a lot of written literature that discusses the importance of art, symbols and different rituals to Aboriginal people.  According to Dufrene (2005) Aboriginal people generally regard art as an element of life which is interconnected to all forms of art including, dance, and song.  In addition an Aboriginal perspective sees art and spirituality as being one in the same. 

As I researched this topic I came across a number of different Aboriginal healing centres that have incorporated the use of art therapy into their programs.  According to a study conducted by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation only 10 out of 104 healing programs didn’t include an arts based program from the period of 2007 to 2009.  One of the healing programs that I came across which offered one such program was the Waseskun Healing Centre located in Quebec. http://www.waseskun.net/eng/Waseskun%20Booklet%20-%20ENG.pdf   According to the Waseskun Healing Centre Aboriginal people have the opportunity to explore their creative side using a variety of different mediums including paper, canvas, sculpture, and wood.  The idea behind the art therapy program according to the Waseskun Healing Centre the goal of the program is “to reflect on the thoughts and feelings that arise during the art-making process.”  Additionally the painting or sculpture becomes a tool for exploring thoughts and feelings with the therapist, either in a group setting or on an individual basis.  The goal of the art therapy in this case is to improve self-awareness and improve communication.

When using Art therapy to work with Aboriginal seniors one of the recommendations that is proposed by Gattermann (1999) is to begin the art therapy session by asking the individual to think of a story from their past.  I believe that this approach to working with Aboriginal seniors could be very beneficial because as we know many Aboriginal seniors have very rich, but often traumatic histories.  By using a storytelling approach to begin the art therapy session I believe that this allows for the opportunity for Aboriginal seniors to either begin to work through a traumatic history through Art or to build on the positive experiences in their life and possibly strengthen their cultural ties through the use of Art.  In addition Gattermann (1999) recommends that in order to strengthen the therapeutic alliance during art therapy that facilitator needs to make sure that they are using culturally sensitive materials which are familiar to the client.  Many of the materials recommended include leather strips or cords, beads, soapstone, fur strips, and natural materials such as wood, bark or rock.

Although art therapy may not be the most mainstream approach to working with people who have a trauma history  it has in fact proven to be one of the most effective approaches.   Because many Aboriginal communities identify so strongly with art and creativity the use of Art therapy with Aboriginal people is considered to be a good fit.  This extends into working with Aboriginal seniors who may not only identify with the creative process of art therapy but may also benefit from the therapeutic aspects of art therapy. 

Kendall

References

Archibald, L. (2010) Creative Arts, Culture and Healing: Building an Evidence Base. Pimitawisisn Journal of Aboriginal and Indigenous Community Health 8(3)

Dufrene, P.  (1991) Utilizing the Arts for Healing through a Native American Perspective: Implications for Creative Arts Therapies. Canadian Journal of Native Studies

Gattermann (1999) Using Art Therapy with Aboriginal Offenders.  Concordia University Thesis retrieved from http://spectrum.library.concordia.ca/927/

Substance Abuse and Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous elders around Canada, the United States and Australia, have had a history of negative experiences such as colonization, oppression and assimilation. Many were removed from their families or communities, forced into residential schools where they were stripped of their language and culture. The treatment of these groups of individuals has created severely damaging effects both on the micro and macro levels. Castellan (2008) as cited in Kirmayer, Whitley and Fauras (1996) stated that "Aboriginal peoples in Canada have faced distinctive forms of adversity. They have been marked by colonization, cultural oppression and expropriation of land and resources”. (14)

Unfortunately many of the elders that have been touched by those tragedies have not been able to cope with the pain they have suffered in their pasts. In order to hide the pain and torment that they are feeling, many have turned to various types of addictive substance.  The inability to cope with the suffering that occurred in the residential schools has lead to various forms of abuse being insidious in Aboriginal communities today. Not only has this trauma had an impact on the survivors, it has had a sustained impact on their families as well. (Indian Residential Schools, 1994)

In additional to the negative psychological effects that have been experienced by all persons involved, there have been impacts to survivor overall health, leading to higher rates of substance use disorders than seen in the general population. (Kirmayer et al., 1996) The use of drugs and alcohol has been found to be common and dangerous problem among the Indigenous people of Canada, and one that warrants a high level of concern. (Aboriginal Health, 1996)

It is however difficult to calculate the percentage of elderly from the Indigenous population, who are substance abusers in Canada as there is a lack of  available statistics regarding the percentage who are substance abusers. Reading (1999) mentioned there is a need to conduct more detailed longitudinal surveys on the health and social services needs on First Nations and Inuit elders, as there are no questions regarding alcohol consumption, drug use and abuse currently in those surveys.  

Although there are many different substances that are abused by Aboriginals, alcohol abuse is the most common. Statistics and research indicate the high percentage of alcohol amongst Aboriginal communities, "Alcohol use is of great concern to people in First Nations and Inuit communities. Surveys show that  around 75% of all residents feel alcohol use is a problem in their community, 33% indicate that it’s a problem in their own family or household, and  25% say that they have a personal problem with alcohol " (Khan, 2008)

The excessive use of alcohol use by seniors can endanger their lives and physical health. “Drinking at an older age can have additional negative effects: exacerbate some medical conditions, reduce the ability to function, increase the risk of falling, negatively interact with medication” (Buddy T, 2009) The consumption of alcohol can cause a variety of adverse physical effects to numerous systems such as: the heart (high blood pressure), liver (cirrhosis), digestive system (malnutrition and vitamin deficiency), neurological (problems with speech, actions, and thinking) and finally bones (fractures and breaks). (George, n.d)  

Substance abuse has affected our Indigenous population mentally, emotionally physically and spiritually. There is a need for all levels of government, health care professionals and communities to recognize and provide health and financial needs. Nickens (1990) states that “In order to change the health status of minority populations, health professionals must take into account the values, attitudes, culture and life circumstances of the individual. If we are to achieve salutary changes in the health status of minority populations , health professionals and designers of health programs must cope with the extraordinary diversity of the Indigenous  populations” (p.3)

In order to prevent solvent abuse and provide treatment for substance abusers, Indigenous people need to be educated about the effects of substance abuse. There is a lack of treatment centres on reserves and even within urban areas. The government needs to support the building of more drug treatment centres and traditional healing and counselling services need to be established in order  to start the process of healing our Indigenous people.  

Arlene

The Under Representation of Older Aboriginal Adults’ Experiences in the Upcoming Elections

When I first started this blogging assignment I was shocked at how little information was out there on the different issues that Aboriginal older adults encounter as they age. The more I have researched this topic the more aware I have become of the severe under representation of Aboriginal persons in Canadian institutions. Within health care there is a serious problem of cultural competency among health care professionals; various competency testing methods do not take into account these peoples’ lived experiences. Home care and the palliative care program are under developed in the North and cannot meet the needs of the people. Food availability is scarce in the North and in down town city locations preventing older adults to have the opportunity to have nutritious food at a reasonable cost. The people who work in Canadian Universities do not represent the population of Canadians, and unfortunately, the only Aboriginal professors I have ever encountered in the past 5 years have been in the Faculty of Social Work or in the Native Studies department. In our Canadian government, which is supposed to mirror the make-up of society, Aboriginal people and their perspectives are not reflected in the structure of our democratic government. We make laws, pass policies, and structure society without the input from a large majority of Aboriginal peoples, but we expect them to abide by it even when it is not compatible with their belief systems or life experiences.

I was reading an article written by Hunter (2003) in which she outlined the lack of Aboriginal participation at the voting polls. She raises some very interesting points that highlight the need for more inclusion of Aboriginal issues in the current government agenda, by failing to take Aboriginal issues into account during the campaigns potential Aboriginal voters are deterred from voting as they do not feel represented by any of the candidates. Hunter notes that:

The federal government, focused on fiscal restraint and reforming the administrative processes of Indian Act communities,²³ has not given priority to addressing Aboriginal electoral participation in federal political institutions. Because Aboriginal people do not generally have the concentrated populations necessary to collectively affect voting outcomes, there is no direct incentive to place Aboriginal issues on the political agenda (Retrieved from elections.ca, on April 15, 2011).

My personal experience of working in a personal care home has taught me that during election time the candidates come to the care home. Why is that? Because in Canada the largest group of voters are ages 65 plus.  In Canadian society senior citizens are the largest group, proportionately, who vote. What about Aboriginal seniors? There are many barriers in place that often prevent Aboriginal seniors from coming out to the polls. Hunter (2003) outlines four main historical barriers that are still entrenched in the historical memory of Aboriginal people: 1) this historical use of voting as a means to assimilate Aboriginal people who chose to exercise their right to vote; 2) the neglect on the part of the Canadian electoral system to take into consideration the Aboriginal community’s concerns; 3) the lack of Aboriginal representation in the political party system; 4) the inconsideration on the part of the federal electoral administration to meet the needs of Aboriginal voters and abide by employment equity standards. These four barriers are etched into the collective memory of Aboriginal people and continue to contribute to the high voter apathy among this group of Canadians.

I do not want this blog to focus only on the negative, because I do believe things are changing. I believe that Aboriginal people’s voices are beginning to be heard. I believe that the older generation’s experiences are being taken into account. We are only just beginning the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in which the heart breaking stories of past generations are being shared for all to hear. I wanted to find a positive example of Aboriginal representation in the current government. I looked no further than Winnipeg South’s Conservative MP Rod Bruinooge. Rod Bruinooge was born in Thomson Manitboa to a Dutch father and Aboriginal mother (Retrieved from www.voterod.com, April 15, 2011). He has a Métis background and has been very active in Aboriginal initiatives in Winnipeg for the past decade. From 2003 – 2005 he worked as the Director for the Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival. In 2006 he was appointed as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians. Rod Bruinooge strives to incorporate his Aboriginal ancestry into his current way of life and political career.

I would strongly recommend watching this video of Judge Murray Sinclair. As I watched this video I became aware of the inherent differences between Aboriginal approaches to justice/government/systems and the dominant Euro Canadian approach. I feel that the views expressed in this video depict the tension Aboriginal people experience as they attempt to bridge the gap between their culture and Canadian culture. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LoXRW8_R9o

Thanks for reading,

Michelle Kehler

References

Bruinooge, R. (2011). Retrieved from: www.voterod.com, April 15, 2011

Hunter, A. (2003). Aboriginal participation in elections: Exploring the issues of Aboriginal representation in federal elections. Electoral Insight, Retrieved from: elections.ca, on April 15, 2011

Indigenous views on Dementia and Memory Loss in Older Age

            Dementia, everyday in my placement I see the effects of this “disease” “stage of life” “natural part of life” on families and individuals. Dementia has many different forms but manifests in some common ways. No matter what sort of dementia a person many experience it marks a drastic life change for both individuals and their families. I would like to share with you the findings of a study done in BC about Elders’ views on Memory loss.

Traditionally dementia was seen as a “natural part of the life cycle” however colonization has influenced the degree to which Indigenous people continue to ascribe to these beliefs (Hulko et al, 2010). It is important to recognize that there is much diversity with in the term “Indigenous”. There are many different nations who all have unique understandings and practices. Additionally some Indigenous people do not ascribe to traditional belief and practices and may even belong to other religious organizations. Therefore it is important to remember that although there is a “traditional Indigenous view” of dementia, this view may not be assumed by the particular client or family you may work with.

In the past dementia has been seen as “not a concern” for Indigenous people because of its rarity with in the population (Hulko et al,  2010).  However this is no longer the case, Indigenous people are living longer and coupled with multiple risk factors for dementia (diabetes, obesity, poverty etc.) are actually at a greater risk (Hulko et al, 2010). Research by Hulko et al (2010) has begun to address the topic of Indigenous people and dementia. They state that services especially in the North are not adequate or appropriate for the population’s needs and are not congruent with Traditional Indigenous practices.

The study by Hulko et al, (2010) outlines a number of different view about dementia and memory loss as explained by Indigenous Elders from BC:

-Memory loss was seen as a natural part of life by the broader community but was not necessarily welcomed by the Elders who were experiencing it for themselves. (p. 327)

-Many believed that changes from eating natural foods to store bought foods has made memory loss more common. (p. 327).

-Others stated that “accidents, age, alcohol and drugs, loss of oral care, medication, pollution and trauma (including residential schools)” were all cause for greater occurrences of memory loss. (p.327).

-Prevention strategies put forth by Elders were “talking, eating healthy, getting sleep, being chemical-free, avoid gambling and exercising the mind, body and spirit”. (p 327). These prevention methods were commonly called “mind always going”. (p.327).

-Interestingly the Elders in this study viewed memory loss as environmentally caused contrary to a westernized view that labels it as “brain disease” (Hulko et al, 2010, p.238).

Traditionally dementia was seen as a natural process or part of the family circle (Hulko et al, 2010, p.329).  They explained that as we age we become more independent and then we begin to return back to a child like state. This child like state is considered “closest to the creator” and is highly valued (This is very different from a westernized view of “child-like” which in reference to an Older Adult would be considered infantilizing of them) (Hulko et al, 2010, p.330). At times this closeness to the creator can also be considered an ability to communicate with the spiritual realm (Hulko et al, 2010).

            One part of this study that particularly struck me was that the researchers found that although they spoke with Indigenous Elders in sharing circles that they found that many of them expressed views that were more often congruent with a “shémá way” or  “white way” emphasizing "your dementia" rather than the traditional views discussed above (Hulko et al, 2010, p.330). This served as a reminder of the strong effects that residential schools had on the survivors (Hulko et al, 2010).

So what can we learn from this information? I believe that as social workers we have a duty to become culturally competent and to become aware of our own positions and viewpoint and how they may differ from those we are working with. Too much hurt has been inflicted on Indigenous peoples because we have not taken the time to listen and to understand their needs. Self reflection and a listening ear I believe can go far in trying to be culturally competent. Remembering that simply because someone is a member of one group does not necessarily mean that they will ascribe to all the particular values and practices. Dementia in particular is a difficult part of life for anyone to experience. There are many losses involved and changes in roles and responsibilities within families and communities. As social workers I think that it is important that we recognize this struggle but also be open to seeing the beauty in the life cycle.

I recently worked with a family who was in the process of placing their parent in a personal care home. This family had attempted everything they could think of to care for this family member at home but it had become too dangerous for her to live in her community as the dementia progressed. I saw the love that this family had for this patient and that they did not want to place her in a PCH.  There were over 10 people in the room, more than I had seen before in similar meetings with other families.    Some had travelled for hours to be at this half-hour meeting. This woman was truly loved and respected. I was touched by the care and concern the family paid to this woman and her best interests.

            I always find that my own views are challenged when I learn different perspectives on life. This is one of them. As I prepare to graduate I look forward to learning more as I work with others and hear their stories. I look forward to learning more from people themselves rather than from a textbook or journal articles. I hope that the knowledge I have gained as a student will help me as I take the next steps as a social worker.

Hulko W., Camille, E., Antifeau, E., Arnouse, M., Bachynski, N., & Taylor, D. (2010). View of first nation elders on memory loss and memory care in later life.  J Cross Cult Gerontol. 25(4). 317-342. doi: 10.1007/s10823-010-9123-9. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20593232

Resilience of Residential School Survivors

It is with hesitance that I begin to write this blog. This comes because of the gravity of the subject. I find that in Social Work we often speak of the “effects of residential schools on Aboriginal people” but I feel as if many of us do not understand what it really is we are speaking of. I come to this discussion and I admit that I know very little of what it means to be a survivor or a family member of a survivor of the residential school system in Canada. As well the knowledge I have on this subject is based mostly on academic research and instruction.

Kendall has already written a great post on this topic however I wanted to address it again in a slightly different light.  We had a guest speaker join our class a few weeks ago. She was studying the effects of earlier experiences of trauma that resurface in later life. She explained that people who experience trauma often suppress their emotions and do not speak about it. Although this ability to suppress is a survival mechanism that can help individuals survive their experience of trauma it can continue throughout their lives and some may never seek help to address or discuss their experience. She explained that this has particular impact on older adults and especially those who have dementia. As older adults’ mental abilities begin to weaken individuals may not be able to suppress their emotions and memories as they are used to. Additionally as long-term memories stay intact the longest experiences of younger life may be at the forefront.

Although there is little literature on Early-Life trauma in older age I think we can draw connections between the information above and the aging survivors of residential schools. Although I would hope that all of us Social workers would know what the Residential Schools were I also know that many other do not. If you are wanting to learn more please visit the website www.wherearethechildren.ca (WATC) . This is a fantastic interactive website that is designed to educate anyone about residential schools.

In brief the Government of Canada along with both Catholic and Protestant churches designed residential schools essentially to “kill the Indian in the Child”(WATC). These schools came in different forms but all inflicted much trauma upon the children who attended (Stout and Kipling, 2003). Although some children had good experiences the majority experience severe physical and sexual abuse, separation from families, extreme work conditions, diseases, loss and devaluation of culture and language, fear, loneliness and death of fellow classmates (WATC).  During their time in school, survivors learned to cope in different ways such as challenging authority or repressing their emotions (Stout and Kipling, 2003). For some however once they left the residential school system their coping methods remained and created difficulties in adult life (Stout and Kipling, 2003).

I think it is reasonable to assume that some aging Residential School survivors may experience resurfacing of their earlier-life trauma in later life. As social workers we may be the ones who are working with these individuals and their families. Understanding the impacts of residential schools on individuals, families and communities of people throughout generations is essential to anti-colonial and decolonizing social work. Part of the interest and value of working with Older Adults is the wealth of experiences and knowledge that they have acquired over their lifetime. However at times their experiences are not pleasant or happy. We as listeners have the benefit of recognizing the strength and resilience of these individuals who have overcome immense adversity.

Resilience is such an important part to remember when working with these individuals (Stout and Kipling, 2003). We call them “survivors” for a reason. The adversity that survivors of residential schools experienced is unfathomable and yet they are not defeated. Stout and Kipling (2003) use the term “risk pile-up” which describes the multiple levels of risk experienced by Aboriginal people throughout their lifetime. As social workers we are unique in our strength-based approach. Although we cannot ignore the realities of pain and suffering too often experienced by our clients we also have the privilege of seeing the resilience and strength of our clients. This is a very powerful tool we have to work with and empower our clients.

I experienced this when I worked with an Indigenous woman who had experienced much loss in her life and recently in very compounded ways. She would often cry and state that she didn’t understand why she was so sad. She expressed feeling embarrassed that she would cry so much. One day I was visiting with her when she began to recount all of the losses that she had endured in her personal life.  She then apologized for her tears. I told her that it was ok for her to cry if she needed to. I told her that she had been through so much and I understood why she would be sad. Then I shared with her the strengths I had seen in her. She demonstrated strength to carry on despite many difficult life experiences and she had a very bright smile. I could see that this made an impact on her and we had a few more very nice talks before I finished my placement. I think about this woman at times and remember the stories she told me. When I told her about the strengths I saw in her I really meant it. I truly did see those things in her and I am thankful that she shared her story with me.

-Meagan

Stout, M.D. & Kipling, G. (2003). Aboriginal people, resilience and the residential school legacy. The  Aboriginal Healing Foundation Research Series. Retrieved from http://www.ahf.ca/publications/research-series

Aboriginal Healing Foundation & Legacy of Hope Foundation (2009). Where are the children: healing the legacy of residential schools. Retrieved from: http://www.wherearethechildren.ca/