Shiprock Elder Care Program Research Paper

Have you ever heard or read anything about the role of elders in the Native Americans tribes? probably not, because that function did not exist. In these tribes around the 18th and 19th centuries, instead of considering them a source of wisdom, they thought that people who reached a certain age were wasteful, had no rights and were not considered persons. They were considered a serious obstacle and a danger to the tribe, to have members in their third age. Most were expelled from the tribe to die. Others did not change camp, but each had his way.

Nursing Home Administration is an area which specialized in medical and health services management. Nursing home administrators specialize to supervise clinical and administrative affairs of nursing homes and related facilities. They also have a working knowledge of the physical and psychological effects of the aging process. An administrator’s duties includes overseeing staff and personnel, financial matters, medical care, medical supplies, facilities, and other duties as specific positions demand. This paper will discuss different aspects of nursing home administrator and I will follow up with an interview by Kathy Kondolf, an administrator at Heartland of Zephyrhills.

The Navajo are the largest federally recognized Native American Indian tribe in the United States. The Diné Bikéyah or “Navajoland" encompasses 27,000 square miles residing within Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico and contains a population of over 220,000 natives. The

1.The role of Native American grandmother can take on different definitions depending on the tribe and their culture. The “grandmother” can be several older fictive kin, or they can be older female relatives, or even simply older women in the tribe (Novak, 2012, p. 191). A grandmother is a respected role taking on the upbringing of their oldest or many grandchildren, additionally even fostering orphans or impoverished children (Weibel-Orlando, 1988, p. 163). This caregiving role eases the burden on younger women, allowing them to help financially or to carry out homemaking tasks. Although some grandparents may relish this role, some have it forced upon them to do unfortunate family circumstances of divorce, drug and alcohol abuse, and death (Novak, 2012, p. 191). According to Weibel-Orlando grandparental roles also play a vital role in the continuity of Native American cultural values, being a “cultural conservator”, and relaying a tribe’s history, rituals, and practices through oral storytelling (pp.250-251).

As people get older they lose independence, they become less mobile and aren’t able to do everything for themselves any more. It is important to ensure that they keep as active as they can to ensure they keep their independence for longer.

The Navajo Nation is the largest Native American group in America today, and is the biggest Indian reservation in the United States. Situated in the northeastern part of Arizona and in the northwestern part of New Mexico, it is comprised of nearly ten million acres, or roughly fifteen thousand square miles. In this research paper the author will discuss at least three aspects of the Navajo culture that will include the kinship that the Navajo have with each other, the social structure within Navajo society, the economic organization that sustains the culture and their beliefs and values that

The role of elders in today’s society is to pass down cultural and spiritual information as well as make decisions for their communities and provide support to their families and communities. Elders are addressed as “aunty” and “uncle” as a sign of respect, however “Aunty” and “uncle” is not exclusively used to address elders. From my experience Elders of Aboriginal communities are quite different from elders of other communities for example to be known as an elder in an Aboriginal community is not entirely based on age, but rather long and dedicated service to the community. Aboriginal Elders also tend to have say over what happens within their communities and are often relied on by government agencies and bodies as sources of information

General assessment of Mr. McKay raises a few red flags that may indicate potential elder mistreatment. Dried stool and dirty sheets are noted on more than one occasion. This reveals that Mr. McKay is not getting adequate and timely care and the care takers are neglecting to tend to him on a more frequent basis. Pre albumin and albumin are used to interpret individual’s nutritional status. Mr. McKay’s pre-albumin was within a normal range with 16.0 to 35.0 mg per dL being the norm (Beck & Rosenthal, 2002). His albumin level, used to monitor long term nutritional changes was below the norm. However, these levels are dependent on other factors like hydration status as well as kidney function and are not as sensitive to

"Are the old real human beings? Judging by the way our society treats them, the question is open to doubt. Since it denies them what they conceive the necessary minimum, and since it deliberately condemns them to the utmost poverty, to the slums, to ill health, loneliness and despair, it affirms that they hold neither the same needs nor the same rights as other members of the community. In order to soothe its conscience, our society's ideologists have invented a certain number of myths - myths that contradict one another, by the way - which induce those in the prime of life to see the aged not as fellow beings but as another kind of being altogether" (Perrin, & Polowy 2008).

The first time I went there, I thought maybe there would be teepees and some traditional Indian hairstyles and clothing, but I was mistaken. The first time I ever rode into town, I was surprised with what the town was really like. There was a McDonald’s, a Taco Bell, a Burger King, a KFC, and a Subway (restaurant). All the Navajo men that I saw had their hair cut short and most everyone I saw was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Shiprock is a smaller town on the reservation, so it had more culture than the larger towns. The town of Farmington, New Mexico is a 45-minute drive from Shiprock, and it has all of the typical chain restaurants as well as a Walmart and a Target. There is also a mall with plenty of chain retail stores and a food court full of more chain restaurants. It really did look like we could be in Missouri, except for the gorgeous mountainous backdrop and the dust/sandstorms that blew up every few minutes when it was windy. The population is nearly all beautiful dark-skinned Navajo people, but there were a few Caucasians scattered about. People must have a large portion of Native American in their genes to live on the reservations, but the white person I knew was married to a Navajo woman, and that is also allowed. I thought there might be a language barrier, but I was completely wrong about that. Everyone I spoke to spoke

The Navajo (or Dine), which means “The People” are located on the Navajo reservation, spanning more than 27,000 miles, at the four corners of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. The 2010 Census Brief reports

The objective of this study is to examine the evolution of programs and services for aging population over the last fifty years. Toward this end, this brief study will conduct a review of literature that addresses these shifts and changes in policy. The timeline of the history of the services and pogroms for the aging population in the United States is shown in the following timeline and an explanation for these develops will next follow the timeline.

The Navajo (or Dine), which means “The People” are located on the Navajo reservation, spanning more than 27,000 miles, at the four corners of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. The 2010 Census Brief reports the

The narrative of the decline of the most famous paved highway in American history reads like a tragic love affair. “Fabled”, “notorious”, and “inspiring” are words that can easily be woven into the dialogue. Adam Payne and Douglas Hurt point out insightfully, “Route 66 is a symbol of American identity, a pilgrimage site for personal voyages of self-discovery” (283). It was established in 1926. Stretching nearly 2500 miles, Route 66 “captured America’s sense of freedom, adventure and opportunity” (Blitz, par. 1).

There are three theories that apply to First Nations population aging and the argument presented in the paper, the first being continuity theory. According to David Wister and Barry McPherson, “as people age, they strive to maintain continuity in their lifestyle. . . people adapt more easily to aging if they maintain a lifestyle similar to that developed in the early and middle years” (2014, p. 138). Within many First Nations communities, the elders wish to stay in their homes and live their final years in familiarity. Their communities reflect the traditions and values held strongly by many First Nations elders; something they don’t wish to lose again. Being taken away from their families to go to residential school has caused many Native