Impact of aging on role participation for Indigenous Elders.

The objective of this rapid scoping review is to understand the extent and type of evidence related to participation in cultural practices for Indigenous older adults. As people age, they may develop health conditions that lead to disability or limit participation in meaningful activities. For American Indians and other Indigenous peoples, these activities may be linked to important roles within their family and community. Currently, we don’t fully understand how these health-related challenges affect their ability to carry out these roles, which are critical for cultural continuity and community well-being. Further, it is unclear how elders might leverage age-related resources or strengths to enhance their performance and participation in the role of elderhood. Studies will be included if they focus on participants ages 55+ that self-identify as American Indian, Native American, Indigenous, Alaskan Native, etc. that are aging, have a health condition, or disability. In this rapid scoping review, the following databases will be searched: CINAHL (EBSCO), PubMed, and Web of Science Core Collection. Studies will be empirical and published between the years 2000-2025, when guidelines for ethical research practices for Indigenous studies were available formalized and widely disseminated through Linda T. Smith’s seminal work. Only studies in English will be included. Articles will be selected based on title, abstract, and full text screening for inclusion in the analysis. We will extract the following from each study: Title, author, year, country/ location, method, description of Indigenous or Tribal collaboration, participant description, theoretical framework, study design, assessment/measurement of participation, definition of aging or elderhood, strengths or resources, and definition of health or well-being. We will also create a summary of results from each study reflecting the roles, responsibilities, and activities associated with aging as an Indigenous person.