Event Date: Jan 19, 2022
Recording |
Related Resources
Indigenous worldviews of dementia have been shown to differ from non-Indigenous worldviews. This has resulted in culturally safe approaches to care that are reflective of the beliefs of local Indigenous older adults. The main goal of this session for those who work in long-term care settings is to provide an introduction about Indigenous perspectives to care for individuals and families who are impacted by dementia. In this presentation, approaches will be described, and you will learn where and how to access resources for families of Indigenous persons with dementia.
This event is brought to you by the South East Knowledge Exchange Network.
Presenter(s):
Sharlene Webkamigad, RN, Ph.D. Candidate in the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, Laurentian University
Sharlene Webkamigad is an Anishinabe-Kwe from the Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory on Manitoulin Island, Ontario, Canada. She combines her life and career experiences as she embarks on an educational journey in the Interdisciplinary Ph. D. in Northern and Rural Health program at Laurentian University. Sharlene was a lead author to two publications emphasizing blended approaches to Indigenous and Western Knowledge in research methodology. The first, “Exploring the appropriateness of culturally safe dementia information with Indigenous People in an Urban Northern Ontario Community” was published in the Canadian Journal on Aging. The second, “An approach to improve dementia health literacy in Indigenous communities” was published in the Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology. Her latest paper, “Identifying and understanding the health and social care needs of Indigenous older adults with multiple chronic conditions and their caregivers: a scoping review” has been published in BMC Geriatrics. This review draws on an in-depth understanding and application of the health and social determinants of Indigenous health as it relates to health care services, research and policy. Currently, Sharlene is co-developing a community-driven participatory project that places a priority on Anishinabek worldviews to understand the perceptions of older adults and caregivers of community-level supports during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Her roots are embedded in community with a strong hold on determinants of health at northern, rural and local landscapes. Sharlene has worked with several Indigenous health organizations as a registered nurse and continues to advocate for increased cultural safety in nursing education.