Descriptions of terms related to providing Mi'kmaq supportive and palliative care
| Term | Description |
|---|---|
| Aboriginal peoples | Indigenous people who have lived in Canada for thousands of years. |
| Mi'kmaq | First Nation people whose name roughly translates as ‘the family’. Oral tradition is important in the relational nature of the Mi'kmaq language. |
| Apiksiktatultimk (pronounced abiksikdadldimk) | A Mi'kmaq term used to describe when a person is thought to be dying, family and friends go to the bedside to partake in this act of mutually being present with each other which may include forgiveness or reconciliation. This has the intent of ensuring that the dying person will go to the spirit world without any burden while also preparing all involved for the inevitable. |
| Nemu'ltus | A commonly used Mi'kmaq saying which translates to ‘I'll see you.’ It is mostly used as a form of goodbye, but is also used when someone is dying. The implication here is that death is not final. Life and death are events. Death is understood to be a verb since if it were a noun, it would be final. Life is also a verb as it is a process of living and of being alive. |
| Salite | Mi'kmaq feast after a person leaves this world. Feasts are common for First Nations peoples for closure after events. Usually the Elders are the first to begin the meal. This is a community event with everyone bringing goods for an auction. In the past, the Salite auctioned the belongings of the person who has gone to the spirit world. Today, community members bring goods to auction to help raise funds to pay for the wake and other expenses and debts the person may have had. Salite is an important aspect of care. It acknowledges the interconnectedness of the person who has moved on to the spirit world and the community. |
| Cultural competency | As a continuum, cultural competency encompasses sensitivity, awareness, knowledge, skills and competency. Cultural competency depends on provider efforts to understand unique aspects of individual cultures and is based on the premise that knowledge of cultural characteristics equips professionals to build trusting relationships and provide holistic care. |
| Palliative care | Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life and care of patients and their families facing life-threatening illness through the prevention and relief of suffering by early intervention and treatment of pain and other physical, psychosocial and spiritual problems. In Canada, palliative care and palliative medicine are typically hospital-based and provincially organised. Palliative care developed in Canada during a time period when federal-provincial agreements provided public funding for hospital and physician care, and patchwork funding at best for community-based care. The role of the voluntary sector and the federal government is minimal in the delivery of palliative care in Canada. |
| Supportive care | Supportive care relates primarily to cancer services that help patients and families with their experience during the diagnostic, treatment, follow-up and palliative phases. It includes physical and symptom support as well as information, psychological and spiritual support. |
| Indian and Northern affairs | INAC is the Canadian federal government department with a mandate to fulfil constitutional responsibilities in First Nations affairs regarding the Indian Act which was established in 1867. Since 1949, matters of healthcare and First Nations have been directed to the federal department of Health Canada. INAC's name was changed to AANDC in 23 June 2011. AANDC is responsible for economic development and social well-being. |
AANDC, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada; INAC, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada.