Report calls for community-based approach to elder care in Nunavut
Keeping Nunavut Elders close to home is at the centre of a new report released this week by Pairijiit Tigummiaqtikkut, the Iqaluit Elders society.
The report, “Housing for Nunavut Elders: Independent Elder Living for Nunavut”, says the current model of relocating people over 65 who can no longer live independently to senior institutions outside their home communities is harmful — both to individuals and to the cultural fabric of their villages.
“Today’s Elders experience new challenges,” the authors wrote.
“Their silence or patience is often mistaken for acceptance, and their removal from home communities is presented as a benefit—even a preferred option—without fully considering the disruption it causes to the social fabric of the community.”
- 1,700 Nunavummiut are currently 65 or older — 97 per cent are Inuit
- 4,400 Nunavummiut will be 65 or older within the next 20 years
- 30 per cent of elders in Nunavut own their homes — compared to 86 per cent across Canada
Among its recommendations, the report calls on governments to make elder housing and gathering spaces a standard part of community planning — on par with schools or health clinics.
It also urges the design of mid-sized elder homes that include shared spaces for visiting, sewing, or cooking together, helping Elders remain active and connected as they age.
“Every Nunavut community should have housing, social spaces and services where the focus is on Elders and their ability to both be cared for and to contribute to social integrity, Inuit culture and language,” the report says.
- Treat elder housing, gathering spaces, and services as basic community infrastructure
- Design small to mid-sized elder homes that reflect northern culture so elders can stay active and connected as they age
- Commission an independent study comparing what Nunavut spends on institutional care versus what community-based housing and support could deliver — both in savings and local jobs.
- Support local leadership to design and run their own elder projects, set standards, and train local staff.
- Train and compensate relatives to look after elders with moderate needs at home.
The authors also encourage territorial policy-makers to look at how investing in community-based care could create local jobs and keep elders closer to family.
“Some few Elders do require institutional care,” the report notes, “but many more will prosper when government resources are used to replace care facilities with programs and housing in community.”
Municipalities, housing authorities, and Inuit organizations, it adds, should be supported to take the lead on elder projects — from proposing ideas to setting standards and running training programs. The report suggests families could even be taught and paid to care for Elders with moderate needs at home.
“We keep pouring money into the wrong end of the pipe when it comes to Nunavut Elder care — funding distant facilities instead of investing in local solutions that honour our Elders’ dignity and keep them close to home,” the authors said.
Comments, tips or story ideas? Contact Eilís at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: How VR is helping some N.W.T. elders reconnect with tradition, CBC News
