Indigenous Health & Well-Being

To improve the health and well-being of Aboriginal People in spirit, mind, emotion and body by providing Traditional Healing within a multi-disciplinary health care model. The Aboriginal way of life promotes good health throughout life's journey. Through the Traditional Healers, Elders and Medicine People, our songs, dances, stories , prayers and ceremonies, we are introduced to many dimensions of healing, growth and development.

Many Aboriginal people take a more holistic approach that focuses on the integration of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being, an approach that participants said is often undervalued in mainstream health care systems. For many Aboriginal people, care for the spiritual aspects of health and well-being is based on ceremonies; although many health care organizations accommodate ceremonies, Aboriginal people don’t always feel that traditional practices are welcome and understood.

This review is part of a special issue of Pimatisiwin dedicated to Aboriginal resilience. The overall objective of this special issue is to support and promote Aboriginal resilience in a variety of contexts. One important resource for this may be Aboriginal spirituality. This review summarizes efforts to clarify the concept of Indigenous spirituality and to isolate it sufficiently to measure some of its effects.

Indigenous knowledge and healing practices endure today, despite colonial policies and continued systematic oppression. Exemplary Indigenous-led movements that centre on traditional Indigenous knowledge have become an important feature of the Canadian medical landscape, promoting cultural activities, self-determination, governance, language, medicine and wellness.

A Spiritual & Cultural Care Provider is available to patients and their families, and all region staff for support and Ceremonies. Many WRHA facilities accommodate smudges and other ceremonies. All faiths are recognized and WRHA Indigenous Health can connect patients and clients with the appropriate resources at each site.