First Nations

Jeroline

Jeroline Smith is a retired nurse, a consultant and Elder at Peguis First Nations in Manitoba.

Caring in small communities

Jeroline outlines how to use resources and training. (1:21)

First Nations - New Videos

Saying final words and letting a loved one go (1:42)
Time, silence and respect in end of life care (2:21)
Discharging patients to a remote community (1:33)
A good death (0:48)
Accessing pain control in small communities (1:09)
Planning a discharge in advance (3:43)
Using community resources to support home death (3:43)
Opening conversations about advance care planning (1:41)
Elders often do not talk about death or illness (1:01)
Traditions when a person dies at home (0:43)
How a community shows support (1:36)
Combining traditional and Christian values (2:01)
Death, trauma and healing in the Indigenous community (1:50)
A good death (0:34)
Challenges for people from rural communities traveling for care (2:13)
The fight to live (1:37)
Respecting a person's chosen gender (1:15)
Two spirit and LGBTQ+ people and end of life wishes (2:26)
Culturally safe urban health spaces (1:17)
The importance of holistic care across healthcare settings (1:09)
Hospice options needed for Indigenous people (1:18)
Making plans makes a difference (1:12)
Having conversations about end of life and grief (3:06)
Use your five senses to engage and listen carefully (1:50)
Dying at home (1:37)
Helping a patient with final wishes (1:20)
Reflecting Indigenous culture in healthcare delivery (2:19)
Providing a safe space for your patients (1:34)
Understanding holistic healthcare (1:03)
Healthcare and cultural nuances (1:17)
What cultural safety means to me (1:15)
Celebrating life before death (2:13)
MAID is now an option (1:28)
Helping other families by sharing stories of suicide and loss (2:27)
Self-care and support in my work (1:54)
Grief is complex and differs with each situation (1:54)
Caring for patients and families at end of life (3:36)
Spirituality is not only about religion (0:48)
Respecting wishes at the end of life (3:07)
Traditions differ among families (0:48)
Giving thanks for a peaceful death (1:26)
Reclaiming who we are as a people (2:12)
Trauma informed care requires an understanding of history (3:28)
It takes a healthy child to raise a healthy village (1:20)
Our healing affects generations (1:06)
Religious influences in my life (4:02)
The comfort of a Bible and prayer at end of life (1:40)
Why we prefer our home to a hospital (1:33)
Understanding and respecting cultural ways of knowing and wishes (3:40)
When a loved one is on life support (1:47)
Saying goodbye when a relationship is complicated (2:59)
Supporting a family at the bedside of a loved one (2:35)
Taking the opportunity to say goodbye (1:40)
When you are "stuck" in grief (1:30)
Different ways to help you grieve (2:55)
Leading individuals in prayer when they are dying (2:32)
Talking about end of life is difficult but important (1:53)
Honouring end of life wishes (2:51)
The importance of listening, understanding and building relationships (3:18)
Healthcare providers must self-educate about Indigenous history and culture (0:58)
Understanding Indigenous culture and history (3:50)
Society could benefit from Indigenous practices and ways of knowing (3:41)
The power of medicinal trees and plants (1:12)
Our ancestors bring comfort at end of life (1:59)
Using plant medicines with guidance from our ancestors (1:41)
My diagnosis affected my work, my education and my finances (1:02)
Using traditional medicine and western medicine (2:01)
The strength of my grandmother (2:41)
We're not just another chart (0:44)
My doctor showed no empathy: Advocating for compassionate care (4:21)
Facing a second diagnosis (1:00)
The stress of travelling for scans and tests (1:43)
Losing my hair (1:15)
Talking to my children about my cancer and treatment (2:45)
My spirituality helped me find balance and strength (2:43)
Supporting conversations between patients and family (1:10)
Supporting communities in the North (1:43)
Palliative care offers many layers of care (1:22)
Palliative care is holistic care (0:46)
Pain control in remote communities (1:17)
The challenges of discharge planning (1:17)
Navigating health services (1:25)
Social media and respecting privacy (0:52)
We're not in this together (0:42)
Supporting decision-making (2:20)
A good death: Planning for the best and adapting (1:15)
Understand individual wishes and beliefs (1:26)
Provide culturally safe, person-centred care (2:15)
When there aren't words for an illness or disease (0:45)
Language around death and dying (1:08)
Recording our values (1:23)
Supporting patient and family decision-making (1:14)
The benefits of a healing room in a hospital (2:15)
Our palliative care doctor helped guide us (1:02)
Supporting families through a palliative care journey (2:00)
How children can honour their loved ones through ceremony (2:56)
Reflecting on the year after my mom's death (3:04)
Honouring our mom after she died (2:14)
Traditions in the last few days of life (1:09)
Everyone says goodbye in their own way (2:19)
Honouring and caring for my mom (1:48)
Understanding and respecting the care needs of residential school survivors (2:38)
Hospitalization and residential school trauma (2:19)
Caring for our Elders in community (3:49)
Traditions when a loved one dies (2:17)
Sharing love and support with family (2:23)
The importance of traditional food (0:54)
Staying at the hospital with my Auntie (2:18)
The importance of being out on the land (0:46)
Caring for loved ones at end of life (1:35)
Thinking about how we can support escorts and families in need (1:59)
Getting to know the Elders in small communities (1:51)
I try to support people in my community who are sick (1:09)
It's a tradition in our community to have a homemade casket (0:58)
Talking about death can help with grief (3:06)
My mother didn't want young grandchildren at her burial (2:00)
It's important to talk to our children about death (2:00)
The birth of my daughter brought joy to my sick father (1:19)
Seeing people in remission gives us hope (0:28)
There's no word for cancer in our language (1:34)
When someone wants to die in their home community (1:32)
It was very hard for me to accept my father's death (0:58)
Managing pain medications and affect on grief (1:30)
My father came home to die (1:12)
My father's diagnosis (1:53)
Understanding death and aging (3:10)
I always want to keep learning and living for today (4:09)
The impacts of residential school: Finding my own identity (4:10)
Talking to our grandchildren about how things have changed (3:31)
I speak up so our people our treated with respect (2:21)
Talking to my husband about end of life wishes (2:26)
My son's cancer diagnosis (3:35)
Interpreters and navigators are very helpful (1:15)
Learn about the community and its people (2:37)
Making amends and asking for forgiveness (1:57)
Knowing my own boundaries and caring for myself (1:47)
How I think of "hope" at the end of life (1:45)
Asking someone what they wish for at the end of life (1:34)
Blending religious and traditional practices (1:46)
My perspective on death and dying (0:33)
Death "out of season": When a young person dies (2:17)
Supporting families providing care (2:42)
Helping people leave the world with music, calm and grace (3:44)
Explaining the life cycle to children (3:45)
It's about the person's last breaths on Mother Earth (2:03)
God is waiting: Helping people who are leaving this plain (2:42)
The fear of dying and the power of companionship (1:42)
Completing your purpose (1:12)
Religion, hymns and drumming (1:47)
The Native Grieving Prayer (2:47)
My sister is still with us in spirit (0:55)
Ceremony for my sister (3:05)
Talking about your pain can help you on your healing journey (1:08)
Helping community when traumatic death occurs (2:24)
I counsel and pray with people in my community (1:19)
My kids feel helpless but they care for me (1:09)
Being open with my family (2:17)
Learning about my disease and educating others (1:08)
Both laughter and tears are good for you (1:47)
Healthcare providers need to make sure patients understand (1:39)
It's important to bring an escort to appointments (2:00)
I've learned a lot from my support group (1:24)
I try to remain positive when I think about my cancer (2:41)
Helping people talk about loss (2:34)
Talking about death at end of life (2:10)
Maintaining hope and moving through grief (2:31)
Honoring a person as they are dying (2:18)
Many First Nations Elders want to die at home (2:14)
Embrace your memories (1:11)
Self-care (1:58)
Show compassion until the last breath (2:15)
Gestures and beliefs that can help with grief (1:32)
Death is not the end (1:19)
Challenging the health system to honour culturally safer care (1:39)
How can we best care for you? (1:39)
Walk with a person at end of life (1:31)
Accompanying and Elder and her family as she transitioned to the spirit world (4:13)
When a child dies (1:34)
Talking about end of life can help to bring comfort (2:35)
The person legacy lives on through what they've taught me (1:11)
Caring for all aspects of the person (1:17)
Supporting cultural traditions and practices (3:02)
Traditional music and spiritual care (1:14)
Wearing a clerical collar and misconceptions about spiritual care (2:28)
Self-care helps me stay on track and focused (2:00)
Spritual care at end of life (2:34)
Hospital changes to meet the needs of Indigneous patients (1:39)
Celebrating similarities in belief systems (1:39)
The importance of fire (1:39)
Adapting cultural practices in health facilities (1:52)
Community members as supports at the bedside (1:47)
Navigating health language and health systems (2:50)
Creating a care plan for spiritual and emotional care (1:48)
Why cultural practices differ in remote communities (1:59)
Providing spiritual support in a hospital setting (2:56)
Understanding and respecting the person's wishes (4:43)
Feel your own grief (1:45)
Our dignity (button) blanket (2:52)
The importance of laughter (4:58)
Western philosophy and Indigenous philosophy (2:55)
A doctor I'll never forget: Excellent culturally safe care (1:08)
Meeting families where they are at (2:49)
Avoid making assumptions (2:02)
Educating healthcare providers about Indigenous history to improve care (2:37)
Impact of residential schools on grief (7:30)
Colonization, trauma and responses to dying and grief (4:15)
Listening and taking time (5:11)
Use clear language (1:15)
Respecting ceremony (1:15)
The words you use matter: How some words shut down discussion (1:04)
Paying attention to everyone in the room (2:17)
How I care for and protect myself (4:14)
Having a personal relationship with the patient and family (1:21)
Working with patients and families (4:42)
Losing my hair (1:09)
Cancer has brought us closer (1:24)
Waiting for the other shoe to drop: Living with cancer (1:47)
Support from my cancer community (0:48)
I was offered very little support or compassion (1:13)
Support from my husband made the difference (1:08)
Sharing my diagnosis within our community (1:48)
My treatment and additional diagnosis (1:33)
My doctor is interested in my life, not just my cancer (0:54)
My diagnosis was given with no compassion (1:53)
Travelling for care is exhausting (0:28)
We've faced prejudice before (0:55)
We had to fight to have an escort for my appointments (0:42)
Fighting to get a diagnosis (3:18)
Staying positive helps to take the power away from the word "cancer" (3:10)
Ceremony helps families to grieve (3:39)
Thinking about quality of life for my mom and our Elders (2:58)
Take time to listen to what Elders are telling you (2:01)
Recognizing impacts the trauma of residential schools on longterm care residents (10:42)
Supporting families to be present when the person is transitioning (1:31)
Talking to families about the transition (3:51)
Extensive loss and trauma complicates grief (2:29)
Long-term care reminds some residents of residential school (2:09)
Let the patient take the lead (0:48)
Building trust is key to creating solid relationships (0:46)
Asking questions and listening to answers (1:22)
Why someone might not self-identify as Indigenous (2:28)
Understanding the needs of the urban Indigenous population (2:48)
Opening up a difficult conversation about death (1:53)
End of life planning as celebrating a legacy (2:16)
Feeling a range of emotions can be healing (0:54)
Giving people time to consider options and make decisions (2:32)
Questioning our assumptions about traditions or religious practice (0:57)
Trauma informed care recognizes past experince can impact current reactions (4:12)
Trustful and respectful communication is key (1:37)
Talking about death, dying and palliative care (3:22)
Decolonizing healthcare: Questioning currrent policy (1:27)
Making space for different ways of knowing and being (2:24)
We have to be aware of our own biases and judgements (1:42)
What does "patient centred care" really mean? (1:09)
There is always a power differential in healthcare (2:47)
We are all related (1:03)
My job can be emotionally difficult (1:30)
Working together to return a person to community (1:54)
When someone is dying the community helps out (1:13)
Oldest siblings often make care decisions (1:51)
The benefits of a hospice (1:29)
Traveling for care impacts families and care decisions (1:25)
Late diagnoses of people from remote communities (2:02)
Often patients from fly-in communities are Christian (1:46)
Family meetings and making care plans (1:31)
Escorts are often necessary, not just for Elders (1:31)
Responding to challenges of travelling for care from remote communities (1:56)
All the details can be overwhelming (1:05)
My role as an Indigenous Patient Navigator at the Cancer Centre (1:42)
I'm grateful for my good life (2:31)
Be kind (0:37)
It's good to talk about ceremony (0:55)
We have to respect people's grief (1:12)
My grandmother was religious but also traditional (4:01)
Helping my son cope with loss (4:01)
Accepting the cycle of life (2:40)
When someone dies, we help them on their journey (5:00)
Grieving a death by suicide (2:00)
Grief is painful whatever the age of the person (2:01)
Supporting people going through loss (2:45)
Discussing palliative care with patients (1:51)
Caring for a loved one in the hospital can be hard (1:24)
A tribute to my mom (6:37)
Practical advice for people travelling for care (1:46)
Care conversations when "palliative care" and "cancer" can't be used (1:07)
Losing their support system (1:15)
Providing palliative care at home in small communities (1:12)
Respecting a person's rights to make informed decisions (1:02)
Family support for care in the home (0:44)
Never make assumptions about basic services (1:37)
Caring for my wife (5:35)
Building on strengths in communities (1:39)
Medication and pain control in remote communities (2:25)
Discharging a patient for care at home (3:42)
Collaboration between community and health systems (1:41)
Making decisions about treatment and leaving community (2:28)
Care is a community responsibility (1:40)
Grief and Indigenous healthcare providers (1:26)
Holly Prince (1:08)
Building trusting relationships (1:46)
Supporting families during dying (0:57)
Holly Prince (2:07)
Trust, respect and honest communication (1:13)
Adapting language about palliative care (3:16)
Practicing true person-centred care (1:09)
Empowering patients and families to ask questions (0:58)
Humility and respect: Building a relationship with families (2:29)
Providing culturally safe care (1:44)
How communities rally when someone is ill (1:09)
Validating caregiving in First Nations communities (2:06)
The goal of providing care in communities (1:01)
Quality care recognizes extended families (3:10)
Understanding advance care planning (1:40)
Cultural humility (1:46)
Limitations of cultural safety in the health system (1:03)
Ensuring Indigneous Peoples' voices are heard (0:31)
Sisters' last visit (1:57)
The support of extended families: A personal story (1:57)
My "work family" is a real support (0:53)
Death can be peaceful (0:36)
Crow and Wolf people take care of each other (2:06)
Community supports the ill person and family (1:16)
Letting the spirit go (1:34)
Giving permission to let go (1:44)
Using intuition in providing care (2:15)
Asking questions and open communication (4:22)
When someone dies: The importance of rituals and ceremony (2:09)
Learning from a dying child (4:22)
Self-care rituals (3:16)
A special patient: Supporting an Elder's dying time (8:59)
The spirit world is just a step away (0:58)
Connecting to our land and to our spirit (2:06)
I'm now at peace with my daughter's death (2:05)
My daughter's death (3:44)
It's not always possible to die at home (2:14)
The spirit world (2:07)
There's so much fear about death (3:16)
Teaching our people to talk about their lives and their struggles (3:12)
Counselling and helping people to heal (3:37)
Be gentle and kind (1:18)
A good death (1:03)
Families can come together to give support (3:27)
A connection continues after death (0:29)
A special connection (2:07)
Grief after my brother's death (2:26)
Elders can guide funeral plans (3:29)

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