Health-care providers advocate for diverse and local staff at the facility
Nova Scotia health-care providers are anticipating a huge breakthrough in the form of a new nursing home created particularly for Black seniors. This promising endeavour has spurred debate about the need to develop a comprehensive and more responsive network inside the Nova Scotia health-care system that responds to the special needs of Black people. Community health workers have backed the news, believing it will pave the way for better, more culturally competent care.
Addressing the need for culturally competent health care
The Health Association of African Canadians (HAAC) co-founder Sharon Davis-Murdoch highlights the importance of culturally competent health care, particularly for Black patients in long-term care. Black people’s voices have shined light on the importance of care that knows and respects their unique requirements, including skin, hair, and the impact of historical trauma. Veronica Marsman, Davis-Murdoch’s former HAAC colleague, is actively involved as the property manager of Akoma Holdings Inc., a non-profit corporation that will lease the land for the project.
A nursing home designed for Black seniors
The Nova Scotia government recently announced intentions to build a 96-bed nursing home near historically Black suburbs including Loon Lake, Cherry Brook, North Preston, and East Preston. This project intends to establish a designated location where Black elders can receive specialized care according to their specific experiences and needs.
Fulfilling specific needs for care
Elizabeth Obeng Nkrumah, a wellness navigator with the health-care service Sisterhood, stresses the need of recruiting people of the local community to work at the nursing home. She feels that those who have had comparable experiences to the residents can help to create a sense of serenity and safety in the atmosphere. Davis-Murdoch underscores the necessity of Black presence on staff by pointing out that certain ailments are more prevalent in Black areas. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, for example, due to structural inequities in health determinants, Black Canadians are twice as likely as white Canadians to have diabetes.
Culturally tailored programming and anti-racist policy
While the nursing facility will be open to seniors of all races and ethnicities, Obeng Nkrumah hopes that Afrocentric programming would reflect the residents’ cultural identity and spiritual practices. The nursing home’s and the overall provincial health network system’s purpose is to incorporate anti-racist policy, justice, and fairness into health-care planning. Davis-Murdoch underlines the importance of an inclusive, courteous approach that takes into account the particular needs of people from all backgrounds.
Scheduled opening and operational details
The nursing home, which will be erected on the same location as the former Home for Coloured Children, is set to open in 2025. The facility, run by the non-profit group Northwood, strives to allow elders and their families to live near together. Despite the hurdles faced by a contractor scarcity in the Halifax area, Premier Tim Houston is optimistic about meeting this lofty target.
