Aging in Indigenous Canada

• Main Author: Nelson, Sarah E.
• Format: Book Part
• Language: English
• Published: Policy Press 2021
• Subjects: Canada; First Nations; inuit
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1332/policypress/9781447352563.003.0017

This chapter focuses on aging for Indigenous individuals in Canada, which has multiple layers of complexity involving both opportunities and challenges that relate closely to the places in which people live. It discusses 'Indigenous peoples' as an umbrella term that is used internationally to refer to the original peoples of a place, noting that in Canada 'Indigenous peoples' include over 70 distinct language groups and hundreds of different nations. It also refers to the Constitution Act that recognizes three main Indigenous groups: First Nations, Métis, and Inuit. The chapter looks at issues for older and aging Indigenous people, which include urbanization and relationships to land, and health disparities and experiences of dementia and memory loss. It also cites the provision of services in culturally appropriate ways that account for the different geographies of Indigenous aging in Canada.