Supporting Māori

New Zealand Dementia Foundation > Resource Hub > Supporting Māori

Dementia Care for Māori, Online Course.

Goodfellow Unit

This resource provides information and tools around communicating with Māori patients and their whānau, as well as information around diagnosing dementia and long-term care of dementia patients – all of which will make it easier for you to support and care for your patients and their whānau. Estimated time to complete is 1 hour.

Connecting Culture and Care: Introducing Māori Elders

Dementia Canterbury

The aim of this resource is to provide a simple one-page introduction to some basic concepts and phrases when working with Māori whānau living with dementia.

Dementia: Te Ao Māori.

Attitude TV for Health Quality and Safety Commission

This documentary explores what dementia looks like in the lives of everyday Māori. One whānau shares their story of coping and caring for their mother with early onset dementia, and there’s a visit to a care unit using te reo, whakapapa and waiata to enhance the well-being of Māori with dementia.

Hauora Māori Approach to Developing Care Plans.

Health Safety and Quality Commission New Zealand

Aged care facility managers and staff face the challenge of supporting residents as they transition into care. The cultural and spiritual needs of new residents and their whānau must be met with respect and consideration. Enliven is developing a new model of care for its Māori health plan, with Te Whare Tapa Whā as a key principle.

Mate Wareware: Understanding ‘Dementia’ From a Māori Perspective.

Margaret Dudley, Oliver Menzies, Hinemoa Elder, Lisa Nathan, Nick Garrett, Denise Wilson, 2019

This seminal study talked with 223 kaumātua (Māori elders). The findings elucidate Māori understandings of the causes of mate wareware (becoming forgetful and unwell; dementia) and the roles of aroha (love, compassion) and manaakitanga (generosity, caring) in caregiving for whānau living with mate wareware. Mate wareware affects the wairua (spiritual dimension), but cultural activities could act as protective factors to optimise a person’s functioning within their whānau and community.

Improving Māori Health Through Clinical Assessment.

Tania Huria, Suzanne Pitama, and Cameron Lacey, 2014

Health professionals play an important role in addressing indigenous health inequalities. While not specific to dementia, this insightful paper outlines the Meihana model (2007) and the Hui process (2011) as a clinically relevant framework that supports health practitioners to work effectively with Māori patients and whānau.