Best of Both Worlds, Dimensions of Quality:

Indigenous Perspectives

Integrating Traditional Healing and Wellness

as a part of Quality Improvement

Dr Evan Adams, Chief Medical Officer

Melanie Rivers, 7mlemelwet, Senior Advisor

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Disclosure

The presenters have no conflicts of interest to

disclose.

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“Keeping the Spirit Alive” Guidebook: Weaving Together Traditional Wellness and Mainstream Health

Integration

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Spirit

Traditional wellness is proactively staying well by keeping the spirit alive and centred in the body

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Traditional wellness is knowing who you are and your connection to family, community, spirit, culture, the land and the ancestors

Connection

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Traditional wellness is holistic and includes mental, emotional, physical and spiritual health

Holistic

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Traditional healing includes seeking help from an Elder or traditional healer to heal a broken spirit, ill body or as a part of maintaining wellness.

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Traditional healing and wellness include ceremony, prayer, traditional medicines and foods, songs, sacred spaces, language, stories, dance, smudging, brushings, hunting and gathering, fasting, running, morning dips….

Systems of traditional medicine & healing are well

established and have been functioning for generations all

over the world

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11 Native Hawaiian Model

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Relating Quality and Traditional Wellness

Traditional wellness programming is part of providing quality health

services for First Nations.

and…

Ensuring traditional wellness programming is delivered in a good way

includes upholding standards of quality.

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Ensuring Quality

Revitalizing Teachings

Finding appropriate

Healers/Elders

Preservation of Traditional Foods and Medicines

Protecting Family/Commun

ity Knowledge

Hand Shake

Safety/

Accountability

Guides

Mentoring

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Wise Practice Examples

Traditional foods hospital program

Code of Behavior for Traditional Healers

Indigenous Elders Partnership Program

Healing House and Medicine garden

Traditional healer hired by health program/community

Ceremonies:

lifting up

letting go

welcome home

new beginning

honouring babies

coming of age

seasonal

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Partnerships Considerations:

Build local partnerships to ensure local traditions and protocols are

included.

Ensure First Nations are the leaders and key decision-makers in

regards to traditional wellness and healing programming.

When compromises are required, leave the final decision in First

Nations hands. Sometimes a compromise may not be acceptable.

Do not require traditional wellness and healing practices to be

evaluated or ‘proven’ from a biomedical health lens.

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Discussion:

What are important considerations in

delivering traditional wellness and

healing services in a good way (quality

assurance)?

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