Little is known about Indigenous communities and dementia and Elders have not been involved as advisors or participants in most research to date. This exploratory research sought to address this gap through a constructivist grounded theory project on the views of First Nation Elders on memory loss and memory care in later life, conducted in collaboration with decision-makers from the local Health Authority and Elders from three First Nation communities in British Columbia, Canada. Elders served as advisors to this research and research agreements were negotiated and signed with each community. Data collection occurred through a series of sharing circles and interviews with a total of 21 Elders, four of whom were experiencing memory loss, and two community members. Four themes arose through the constant comparative data analysis process: Being Secwepemc, growing older, losing memory, and supporting one another. These themes indicate that memory loss and memory care in First Nation communities has changed over the past century, including the causes attributed to memory loss in later life and community responses to those affected. Elders hold differing views about memory loss, including the traditional--'going through the full circle' [of life]--and the shémá [white] way--'your dementia', with the latter being much more common. This research indicates the importance of protecting and reviving traditional knowledge and ways of life in order to prevent 'your dementia' and avoid the adoption of health care practices that may be culturally unsafe for First Nation Elders.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.