Gerontological Nursing Interventions Research Center (GNIRC)

Title: Caring for Native American Elders
Principal Investigator: Toni Tripp-Reimer, PhD, RN, FAAN
Study Site: The University of Iowa/Montana State University

Abstract
This pilot is part of a larger research program to design, implement, and evaluate a model for family conferences for frail Native American elders who are at risk of maltreatment because chronic and debilitating illnesses have forced them to become dependent on younger family members. The purpose of this two-phased pilot project is to develop, pilot and assess the feasibility of a large scale implementation of an intervention, the Family Care Conference (FCC). In the first phase, background and contextual information will be generated to ground the implementation and evaluation of the FCC intervention. The second phase will involve the implementation of the FCC and its subsequent evaluation.

Using a descriptive, exploratory design, data will be collected from multiple sources including guided interviews (individual and group), observation (direct and participant), and documents in the public domain or project generated. Analysis will be aimed at exploring the current meaning and practices of addressing elder maltreatment among the Blackfeet people, identifying cultural norms for communicating and showing respect for the 'right way,' determining comparative merits of group vs. individual interview formats, identifying the key dimensions and variables in planning, implementing, and evaluating the FCC intervention, and refining the FCC model as appropriate.