To gather information for this report, the Health Council conducted interviews with senior officials from provincial, territorial, and federal governments and from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis organizations. We also hosted regional meetings across Canada to learn what is being done for seniors in their communities and where problems still exist. Many participants were health professionals and members of First Nations, Inuit, or Métis communities; some were seniors as well (see Methodology, page 64).

 

Although social, economic, and historical factors are widely recognized as the primary cause of health disparities, participants told us about system problems that are getting in the way of good health care for seniors in their communities. These are described in the section Pressure points and politics.

 

Many identified innovative practices that are breaking through these barriers and improving the care of Aboriginal seniors. We have synthesized key findings from these practices in the section Changing landscapes and key approaches.

 

In the final section, Partnerships and progress, 12 innovative programs are presented through a series of interviews with health care providers and policy-makers. As their stories demonstrate, change often begins with questioning the status quo and reaching out to build new partnerships.

 

At the cross-country sessions, participants told us that hearing from others who had resolved similar problems gave them a sense of hope, possibility, and determination to discuss new ideas back in their own communities. The Health Council hopes this document will stimulate similar discussions about the care of Aboriginal seniors across the country, and inspire new directions from governments, communities, and health care providers.