Keynote: Constructs of care and healing: the value of First Nations’ knowledges and experiences
First Nations people continue to lead the way in creating and advocating for health and social care that properly takes account of First Nations knowledges, evidence and lived experiences. Recent social movements demonstrate that such ways of knowing, being and doing are desperately needed to improve disparities in population health outcomes and to create inclusive healing conversations that transform practitioners, services and systems. This presentation will discuss three frameworks of care – culturally safe care, trauma-informed care and patient-centred care – and the ways in which these frameworks can respectfully include First Nations concepts of health and healing. Relevant findings from Dr Mackean’s recent research will be drawn upon to illustrate the value of such inclusions as well as the implications for care reform in understanding chronic mental stress, multiple traumas and the healing power of cultural reconnection and spiritual integrity.