A Warm Reception in George Gordon First Nation

Last month, the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan’s Public Awareness Coordinator and practicum student attended the George Gordons First Nation Health and Wellness Fair after receiving an invitation from the dietician at the George Gordon Health Clinic.

The George Gordon Health and Wellness Fair was a meaningful opportunity for the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan to take an active role in raising awareness about dementia in an Indigenous community. The community was immensely welcoming and eager to learn more about dementia.

Our Public Awareness Coordinator and practicum student took various resources to supply to community members, including resources on what dementia is, its warning signs, as well as how you can prevent it from an Indigenous perspective.

The resources developed with the knowledge of Indigenous elders were the most interesting to community members that visited our booth, which further accentuates how important it is to tailor our supports and services when working with diverse communities in Saskatchewan. Learning about dementia should be collaborative and it should display an effort to learn more about how diverse communities perceive it, as well as what their needs are.

Our practicum student, Erica, was able to engage community members by asking them if they know someone with dementia. Many attendees shared their stories of lived experience with us. One individual talked about their mental health challenges as a care partner and asked about how the Society could potentially support them in their challenges as a care partner. It was encouraging to see numerous young people showing an interest in learning more about dementia while we were at the Health Fair.

We believe this event was a great way to spread awareness about dementia and we hope to return next year.

We hope to connect more with George Gordon First Nation and other Indigenous communities moving forward.