Tribal Elder Protection Team Toolkit
Welcome to the Tribal Elder Protection Team Toolkit. The toolkit is designed to help you identify and implement a tribal Elder protection team.
The toolkit is made up of several sections. Each section contains information that concentrates on different aspects of developing a tribal Elder protection team.
A Note on Native EPTs: Unlike many non-Native Elder Protection Terms (EPTs), Native EPTs involve Elders in the conversation. EPT and MDT may be used interchangeably to fit diverse communities
A Note on Extended Family: Native American belief in close interconnectedness with friends, extended family members and other tribal members is very important. The concept of close relatives in the Native American culture is not clearly defined, as it is common practice in Indian Country to call a first cousin your brother or sister. A caregiver may be referred to as a daughter or granddaughter even though there is no blood relationship.
For example, an elderly person may refer to a life-long friend as a “sister” or “brother”, although there may not be any blood relation, but this signifies a sense of close relationship and feelings of attachment for the friend.
About This Toolkit:
This toolkit was produced by the NIEJI, in partnership with various tribal experts in the fields, and a special thank you to our Elders, for their wisdom.
Contributors include:
- Stephanie Bono – NIEJI Graduate Student Researcher
- Honorable B.J. Jones – Director, Northern Plains Indian Law Center
- Dr. Wendelin Hume PhD – Associate Professor Department of Criminal Justice, University of North Dakota
- Wilson Wewa – Title VI Director for the Confederated tribes of Warms Springs
- Dr. Blythe Winchester – Geriatrics and Palliative care, Chief Clinical Consultant Indian Health Services
For questions or comments about the toolkit, or for further assistance with using the toolkit, please contact us.
Funding
This project was completed for the National Center on Elder Abuse and is supported in part by a grant (No. OI-90IE0001) from the Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Grantees carrying out projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Therefore, points of view or opinions do not necessarily represent official Administration on Aging or DHHS policy.
