Behind the Pandemic in Aboriginal Communities - Interagency ...

Community Healing and Self-DeterminationElders, health care professionals, educators and some of the women in the community are concernedabout the level of social crisis in your community; poverty, addictions, family violence,and youth suicide. They have been working to help community members overcome the collectivetrauma suffered at residential school.They have been connecting people to their traditional language and ways of recovery and healing.There are weekly sharing circles on various topics at the community centre. Sometimespeople have a hard time talking about their experiences and they break down. But the Elders arethere to help by being available for private talks and to keep the traditional medicines burning.As word gets out about how safe people feel, more and more participants arrive for the circles.People are getting a lot more comfortable talking about solutions and what can be done to helpaddress the many issues facing them and other families in the community.Culturally Competent Health ServicesThe doctors and nurses in your region are working with the Elders to learn how to improvehealthcare for their Aboriginal clients. The Elders have shared traditional teachings about healthand wellness, and are helping the doctors understand some of the historical and present dayissues that affect their Aboriginal clients’ health. In return, the doctors and nurses are teachingthe Elders about biomedical terminology, procedures and treatments for various diseases andillnesses.The doctors and nurses made some changes to their practice following the meeting with theElders. Now when patients come into the health centre the nurses ask them if they would liketo visit with the traditional healer in addition to seeing the doctor about their health concerns,and they’ve set up a mobile clinic to reach their clients who have a hard time traveling from theirvillage to the town.Community HIV CompetenceThe community health nurse in your community is concerned about how HIV is affecting themembers of your rural community. A few years ago, the nurse realized that there was a growingnumber of families in which one or more people were living with HIV. Community leaders havesince put together an intergenerational support group for people living with HIV and their families.The support group has become a source of strength for its members. The support group isbecoming educated about HIV. As well, the members of the group draw on traditional teachingsand practices to reduce stigma and discrimination and promote healthier choices. Communityleaders have been able to find some Aboriginal-specific information and even some money tosupport these efforts. They have now partnered with a nearby university on a project to developa sexuality education curriculum for Aboriginal children and youth and their families. As part ofthe project, Elders and parents have been talking about how people used to learn about sexualityand have been discussing traditional teachings on healthy relationships and sexuality.49