Senior's homelessness, physical security and income security, a hierarchy of needs...

     I have always been a strong advocate and a voice of compassion for the social inequality for the housing crisis faced by our people, especially for our senior citizens! The Federal Government has a fiduciary responsibility to address our housing needs. (Aboriginal Roundtable to Kelowna Accord, Aboriginal Policy Negotiation [ARKA, 2004-2005]) [NAHA, 1993].  Their constant desire to “pass the buck’ is transparent in our sub-standard living conditions in all of our communities across Canada.

 

    National Chief, Atleo was instrumental in teaming up with celebrity home builder, Mike Holmes on a joint initiative to create a housing project on the Whitefish Lake First Nation in Ontario. The article written by the CBC quoted a response from the celebrity home builder “If we include them in the build – we teach them new theory, which is what I am doing in Whitefish Lake – If we do this, they’ve done it themselves (CBC, 2011) ".This certainly reflects a liberal ideology. Education is key!

    Our First Nation communities do not have the financial resources to build sustainable housing for our aging population. (AOKFN, 2011)  We need housing stock that is designed specifically to meet their needs.  Housing policies at the band level do not recognize their housing needs and is solely based on the needs of families with children (AOKFN, 2011).  There is ageism and discrimination within our current practices.  

     A majority of seniors reside with their families due to the lack of affordable housing on reserve (CMHC, 2008) and the lack of income security.  This creates overcrowding which results in a variety of social problems and sick home syndrome (UCCMM, 2011).  There is also a new trend where some tend to move from house to house sleeping at friends or neighbor’s homes due to a wide range of social issues encountered by their children. 

     Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, basic needs for physical survival is fundamental which must be achieved and satisfied in a sequence to advance to the highest level of satisfaction. (Maslow, 1968).  (P Ebersole, PA Hess, AS Luggen, 1998) As their needs for basic survival are not being met, they themselves are going through a downward spiral of addiction issues.  Gambling and alcohol addictions are so prevalent with our older population. (Ladd, GT, Mulina, Kerins, Petry, 2003).  A sadness enters my heart when I see the destructive path that are seniors walk upon when they don’t have a place to rest their body, mind and spirit.  They truly need a place to call their own. 

     Senior Citizens in my community do not have a private pension and live on a fixed income of Old Age Security, GIS and Provincial Territorial supplements.  The combined income is little over $1000.00 per month. (Hick, S. 2007). It’s very difficult for them to maintain the cost of a house. The hydro and fuel costs in the north are significantly higher and would take up a majority of their income.  Housing options are quite limited or none whatsoever due to affordability and availability (UCCMM 2011).   

     In order to address both issues we need to build rent geared to income housing in our communities that are inclusive of their special needs, such as home adaptations that address physical limitations. The explosive youth population (Statistics Canada, 2008) is creating a huge impact on reserve and our seniors are going to be left at the curb if our local leaders simply focus on that demographic.  We must also pressure the Federal Government and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the National Housing Agency to combat the housing crisis faced by our senior citizens in all our First Nations across Canada.
 

Miigwetch, Janet            

 

 

REFERENCES

      

Aboriginal Roundtable to Kelowna Accord – Aboriginal Housing Negotiation

(Citation) The National non-reserve Aboriginal Housing Strategy

Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation - Housing Policy and Caldwell & Caldwell Audit Presentation

Brown & Hannis, Community Development - Maslow 1968

CMHC Research Highlight - Impacts of Aging of the Canadian Population on Housing and Communities Retrieved from: htpp://www.cmch.ca/researchdivision/agingofthecanadianpopulation.html

Ebersole, P., P.A. Hess, Luggen, AS, - Towards Healthy Aging – human needs and nursing response

Hick, S. - Social Welfare in Canada, Understanding Income Security, 2nd Ed. 

Journal of Geriatric Psychology & Neurology – Ladd, G. T., Mulina, Kerins, Petry

Statistics Canada, 2008
               

CMHC Research Highlight – Impacts of the Aging of the Canadian Population on Housing and Communities

United Chiefs & Councils of Mnidoo Mnising- Mnaadmadzwin Helath Report & Technical Unit Housing Report 2011

Teach First Nations to build their own homes:  Retrieved from: htpp://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/12/02/f-firstnations-housing.html