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• Main Authors: Mary Hampton, Angelina Baydala, Carrie Bourassa, Kim Mckay-Mcnabb, Cheryl Placsko, Ken Goodwill, Betty Mckenna, Pat Mcnabb, Roxanne Boekelder, M Hampton
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Canada; First Nations
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1062.4851; http://www.aboriginalendoflifecare.com/papers/elders_speak.pdf

Abstract / In this article, we share words spoken by Aboriginal elders from Saskatchewan, Canada, in response to the research question, "What would you like non-Aboriginal health care providers to know when providing end-of-life care for Aboriginal families?" Our purpose in publishing these results in a written format is to place information shared by oral tradition in an academic context and to make the information accessible to other researchers. Recent theoretical work in the areas of death and dying suggests that cultural beliefs and practices are particularly influential at the end of life; however, little work describing the traditional beliefs and practices of Aboriginal peoples in Canada exists to guide culturally appropriate end-of-life care delivery. Purposive sampling procedures were used to recruit five elders from culturally diverse First Nations in southern Saskatchewan. Key informant Aboriginal elder participants were videotaped by two Aboriginal research assistants, who approached the elders at powwows. Narrative analysis of the key informant interview transcripts was conducted to identify key concepts and emerging narrative themes describing culturally appropriate end-of-life health care for Aboriginal families. Six themes were identified to organize the data into a coherent narrative: realization; gathering of community; care and comfort/transition; moments after death; grief, wake, funeral; and messages to health care providers. These themes told the story of the dying person's journey and highlighted important messages from elders to non-Aboriginal health care providers. Résumé / Dans cet article nous rapportons les opinions exprimées par les Anciens vivant dans les tribus autochtones au sud de la Saskatchewan au Canada. À la question: "Qu'aimeriez-vous que les soignants nonautochtones sachent lorsqu'ils prodiguent des soins de fin de vie aux membres des familles autochtones?" Notre objectif en publiant ces réponses verbales sous une forme écrite est d'intégrer l'information issue de la ...