Wiinaadmowing Etchi Piitzijig Enda’aat: Helping Elders Where They Live

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic limited socializing and connecting, impacting the ability of Elders to pass on guidance and leadership through culturally specific ways. Community-level supports are vital for older adults living in First Nation communities, particularly supports that are inclusive, accessible, private, and confidential, and those that promote visiting, connecting, and culture, offer opportunities for outings, and use many avenues for awareness. Using an Anishinabek research methodology to inform decision-making among the Health and Community Wellness Committee, this community-based participatory action research study used the Gaataa’aabing visual research method to answer the research question: what are the perceptions of “community” adults over 50 years of age who have multiple chronic conditions about community-level supports during the COVID-19 pandemic? We recruited two participants who participated in three learning circles and contributed seven photos. We followed an adapted version of the collective consensual data analytic procedure to analyze over 400 coded segments, resulting in 15 themes organized into barriers to, thoughts and perceptions about, and strengths of community-level supports. We found that the importance of connecting through various means was heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic and community-level support aided in socialization through digital platforms. Although Elders enjoyed connecting with others through modern technology, they also felt that there is a need to return to the old ways, bringing back an Anishinabek way of life. Moving forward, service providers can use these findings to support the coordination of ‘friendly visiting’ via community-level volunteer programs to reduce the impacts of social isolation.