November marks Native American Heritage Month, an essential alternative to honor, have fun and acknowledge the contributions and resiliency of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Hawaiian Native communities. This month can also be a chance to study and deal with the obstacles that tribal elders proceed to face, similar to entry to important well being companies and financial safety.
For a lot of tribal elders, accessing well being care is a problem as a result of restricted variety of Indian Well being Companies services and the lengthy distances that elders on reservations might must journey to entry suppliers. Moreover, different obstacles just like the restricted availability of house and community-based companies and nursing services, the restricted variety of specialists within the IHS community, and lack of protection for conventional drugs influence tribal elders’ potential to age with dignity. Restricted entry to nutritious and Native meals, housing shortages, and poverty contribute to damaging outcomes for tribal elders’ total well-being, too.
The variety of tribal elders – together with those that stay on or off reservations – in the USA is quickly rising, and repair suppliers and others must be culturally aware of their wants and advocate for insurance policies and practices that get rid of inequities for tribal elders.
Beneath are extra assets for advocates:
