Alaska Native Elders in Recovery: Linkages between Indigenous Cultural Generativity and Sobriety to Promote Successful Aging.

Publisher: Springer Science+ Business Media Country of Publication: Netherlands NLM ID: 8700909 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1573-0719 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 01693816 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Cross Cult Gerontol Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: <2004->: New York : Springer Science+ Business Media
Original Publication: Dordrecht ; Boston : D. Reidel Pub. Co., c1986-

Aging* ; Culture* ; Quality of Life*; Alaska Natives/*psychology ; Alcohol Abstinence/*psychology ; Indians, North American/*psychology; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Alaska ; Alcoholism/therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Interviews as Topic ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Motivation ; Qualitative Research ; Rural Population ; Spirituality

This article builds on the People Awakening (PA) Project, which explored an Alaska Native (AN) understanding of the recovery process from alcohol use disorder and sobriety. The aim of this study is to explore motivating and maintenance factors for sobriety among older AN adult participants (age 50+) from across Alaska. Ten life history narratives of Alaska Native older adults, representing Alutiiq, Athabascan, Tlingit, Yup'ik/Cup'ik Eskimos, from the PA sample were explored using thematic analysis. AN older adults are motivated to abstain from, or to quit drinking alcohol through spirituality, family influence, role socialization and others' role modeling, and a desire to engage in indigenous cultural generative activities with their family and community. A desire to pass on their accumulated wisdom to a younger generation through engagement and sharing of culturally grounded activities and values, or indigenous cultural generativity, is a central unifying motivational and maintenance factor for sobriety. The implications of this research indicates that family, role expectations and socialization, desire for community and culture engagement, and spirituality are central features to both AN Elders' understanding of sobriety, and more broadly, to their successful aging. Future research is needed to test these findings in population-based studies and to explore incorporation of these findings into alcohol treatment programs to support older AN adults' desire to quit drinking and attain long-term sobriety. Sobriety can put older AN adults on a pathway to successful aging, in positions to serve as role models for their family and community, where they are provided opportunities to engage in meaningful indigenous cultural generative acts.

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Keywords: Alaska Native; Alcohol; American Indian/Alaska Native; Generativity; Older adults; Sobriety

Date Created: 20170508 Date Completed: 20180425 Latest Revision: 20240109

20240109

10.1007/s10823-017-9314-8

28478599