“YOU HAVE TO MOVE”: MÉTIS OLDER ADULT PERCEPTIONS AND EXPERIENCES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Abstract

Indigenous people in Canada are aging faster than the overall Canadian population and the health status of Aboriginal people is significantly lower than the general population of Canada. In a context of evidence-based health promotion policies and programs, little research has been conducted that asks the question of whether the approach we take to defining and understanding physical activity is applicable to Indigenous people, and more specifically the Métis population. Significantly, older adults in the community of Île-à-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan used the phrase, “Wuskiwiy-tan! (Let’s Move)” to identify priorities for aging well. This community-led, participatory action research project applies the ontology of Breath of Life theory (BOL) in a two-eyed seeing approach that privileges Indigenous epistemology to explore the role of physical activity in the well-being of Métis older adults. Through extensive community engagement and a series of phenomenologically oriented interviews with 12 older Métis adults (55 years and older) and 7 service providers, a co-creation of knowledge was possible. The principles of Physical Literacy and the International Classification of Function (ICF), which are emphasized in the pedagogy of physical activity promotion and the profession of physical therapy, were critiqued. Three primary themes embedded in the BOL theory were identified in the lifetime and intergenerational experiences of physical activity described by Métis older adults. These themes were Wahkotowin (Related to Everything), Ahkameyimowin (Never Give up), and E ti Meyo Matshohot (Becoming/Living a Better Life). Physical literacy principles are well aligned with the themes found within the participant experiences. ICF concepts, which were designed to classify disability within populations, were not clearly linked to the themes in this study, questioning the relevance of this classification system for health promoting interventions in Indigenous populations. The results of this study have implications for health care provision, and specifically the profession of physical therapy, that is founded within biomedical and biopsychosocial models. We must be attentive to understandings, context, and experiences of physical activity among Indigenous populations in Canada to better address the gaps and identify orientations and practices of health professions such as Physical Therapy that aim to support population health.