Ngā Whāriki Kōrero: A kaupapa Māori resource for whānau with communication difficulties caused by stroke

Held:

Thursday 11 March  2021
Online meeting

Dr. Karen Brewer shared her work in the creation of a kaupapa Māori resource for whānau with communication difficulties caused by stroke.

In this presentation we discussed:

  • the service provided for Māori with stroke‐related communication disorders.
  •  Ideas for how this could be improved

This was divided in two modules:

Module One:
• foundational knowledge around the historical and sociopolitical
context for Māori
• health inequities
• social determinants of health
• racism
• te Tiriti o Waitangi
• cultural safety
• power inherent in the role of the speech language therapist

Module Two:
• specific information about therapy for Māori stroke
survivors and their whānau

• suggestions for working with Māori Health colleagues

Presenters:

Dr. Karen Brewer (Bio)

Dr. Karen Brewer is a Speech-language therapist and a kaupapa Māori researcher at The University of Auckland.

Dr. Karen Brewer launched Ngā Whāriki Kōrero in July 2020, this is a fantastic kaupapa Māori speech language therapy package for whānau with communication difficulties caused by stroke. The outcome of Karen’s HRC-funded post-doctoral research,  Ngā Whāriki Kōrero began with the many hours Karen spent hearing the stories of Māori and their whānau after stroke.

Though developed with the work of speech language therapists in mind, both Ngā Whāriki Kōrero and the learning behind, it has great potential to amplify mātauranga Māori and support the work of rehabilitationists and researchers—anyone involved as communication partners of Māori with a range of communication disorders.

She completed an Eru Pōmare research fellowship in Māori health, funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand in 2020 and is now a senior research fellow on a project titled ACCESS: Accessing Cardiovascular Care for Equity Studies