Symposium Overview

The Aboriginal Experiences in Aging Symposium: Setting Research and Policy Priorities was held
September 17-19, 2008. 

Presentation Documents and Session Pages

 The following links will take you to podcasts, vodcasts and documents that you can download. 

Symposium Overview 

Very little is known about aging issues and the service needs of older Aboriginal people.  Reviewing what is currently known about the aging experience of Aboriginal Peoples and identifying research and policy gaps for future study and development became a priority for SPHERU researcher, Sylvia Abonyi (University of Saskatchewan) and the organizing team:  Dr. Mark Rosenberg (Queen’s University); and Dr. Kathi Wilson (University of Toronto).  Presentations from a series of speakers, who introduced the topics and issues, opened up three days of discussions and collaborations with stakeholder representatives. 

The symposium looked at the social, economic, and cultural aspects of healthy aging, in addition to health care services for those who become ill, through a determinant of health lens.  Discussions were framed by the distribution of a discussion paper “Aboriginal Peoples in Canada:  Aging, Health, and Health Care,” which outlined the findings of the CIHR-funded project.   The paper provided a contextual platform where speakers and participants were able to add their experiences in the areas of program, policy, and research relating to the current and projected health and social service needs of older Aboriginal Peoples. 

The challenges faced by Aboriginal peoples old and young, health issues plaguing their population, the effects of social and economic determinants, as well as emerging research and policy priorities were approached from a variety of perspectives.  We welcomed two elders, numerous academics, and two scientific directors to share their knowledge with and learn from the experiences of over forty seven representatives and delegates.  Elder Marie Favel (Ile-a-la-Crosse, SK), Elder Albert Marshall (Mi’kmaq First Nation Nova Scotia), Dr. Malcolm King (University of Alberta, CIHR Institute for Aboriginal Peoples Health),  and Dr. Anne Martin Matthews (UBC, CIHR Institute for Aging) are but a few of the presenters.

Even though success was marked by a high level of quality and achievement we turn our thoughts to the next steps.  Many of the presentations were video taped and will be available via the SPHERU website (spring 2009) and we expect to release a policy paper in the spring of 2009, both of which will continue to inform the ongoing debates.  We are looking forward to beginning work on a pilot project study where insightful stories from Elders and community members will be compiled and provide a contextual understanding of the aging experience within a selected community. Interest has, and is expected to continue, remained high in this area.

Funding received from the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health, the Canadian Institute of Health Research, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, and Indian and Northern Affairs Canada as well as support received from Dr. Byron Spencer (Project Director, Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population) made the success of this symposium possible. 

For further information please contact:

Diana Fedosoff, Research Officer

EMAIL:  diana.fedosoff@usask.ca

PHONE:  (306) 966-1732