1

NATIVEAMERICANOUTREACHTOANELDERCENTER

IvebeeninterpretingNativeAmericanculturetothepublicasafreecommunity
servicefortenyears.IdothisbecauseIenjoyteachingpeoplehowtheNative
Americanssurvivedandthrivedasaculture.

Asafacilitator,Iworkwithorganizationsthatalsowanttosurviveandthrive
(Visitmywebsiteat
www.tomromito.com
).Inthosesessions,Iaskforamodest
feeof$25.00perhour,whereasIdontaskforafeeformyNativeAmerican
sessions.

Recently,IconductedaonehourinterpretativeprogramatUniversityHospitals
ParmaElderCenter(
http://goo.gl/A11GrT
).There,Iputmyfacilitationskillstouse
toconnectwithachallengedaudience.

WhytheElderCenter?

TheElderCenterinvitedmetogiveanNativeAmericanprogrambecauseIhad
givenonethereafewyearsbefore.Atthattime,IvisitedthecenterwhenItook
myfathertheretospendafewdayswithTheClub,astructuredprogramforpeople
withmildcognitiveimpairment(
https://goo.gl/22lvoL
).

TheElderCenterstafftoldmethatmyaudiencewasgoingtoincludetheirclients
withAlzheimersDisease(
https://goo.gl/RdHf9d
),aswellasthoseinTheClub.
ThepeopleinTheClub,allelders,arefairlyhighfunctioning,whilethosewith
Alzheimersarenot.

BuildingCapacityinYourOrganization
2015TomRomito,Facilitator,Cleveland,OH44109USA
Email:
thomasmromito@gmail.com
Web:

http://www.tomromito.com

WhileIhadpreviouslyexperiencedahighdegreeofengagementwiththeclients
inTheClub,IwasalittleapprehensiveabouthowIwouldengagethosewith
Alzheimers.SoIdevelopedastrategyofusingmyfacilitatorskillstodrawthem
out.Ialsotrustedmyinstinctthatshowingthesepeoplethingsthattheycould
touch,see,andhearwouldengageanddelightthem.

Engagementwaskey

IvemademostoftheNativeAmericanartifactsthatIdisplayatmyinterpretive
sessionsmyself.Iveboughtsomeinstoresandreceivedothersasgiftsfrom
friendswhoarealsoNativeAmericanenthusiasts.

WhenIbroughtouttheseartifactsfortheElderCenteraudience,eyesbeganto
lightup!Theywereentrancedbymyatlatl,bowandarrow,spear,stoneaxe,
sheathknife,andwarshield.Iwalkedaboutthecircleofchairstheaudiencewas
sittinginandleteveryoneseetheseitemsupcloseandtouchthem.Theywere
thrilledwhenIplayedmydrumandrattles,chantedaNativeAmericantune,and
performedafeatherwanddance.

Igottheinspirationtoaskifanyonethoughtheorshecouldplaymydrum.One
personeagerlydid,andIshowedherhowtodoit.Shequicklymasteredthedrum
beatandIaccompaniedherwithrattles,chanting,anddancing.Thisengagement
andinteractionreallythrilledthegroup!

WheneverIstartedtotalk,Ilosttheattentionofsomepeople.Oneclientafflicted
byAlzheimerswouldslumpover,fastasleep.WhenIbegantoplaymyNative
Americanflute,though,shewokeup,smiled,andswayedwiththemusic.She
hungoneverynoteIplayed!

Everyonegotinvolved

BuildingCapacityinYourOrganization
2015TomRomito,Facilitator,Cleveland,OH44109USA
Email:
thomasmromito@gmail.com
Web:

http://www.tomromito.com

IthinkthehallmarkofthehourwasshowingthegroupNativeAmericansign
language.IsignedandtranslatedSeeingyoumakesmyheartglad.Theyliked
that.ThenIsignedhowIndiansmighthavetradedbeaverpeltswithFrenchfur
trappersforgunpowder.

IclosedthehourbyshowingthemablessinginIndiansignlanguage.Isignedand
translatedMaytheGreatSpiritgowithyou.ThenItaughtthemhowtodoit.
Everyoneparticipatedinsigningtheblessing!

Finallesson

MyfacilitatorskillsandbeliefthatIcouldconnectwiththisaudienceservedme
wellthatday.Ilearnedaboutanotherfactorthatinfluencedthesuccessofthehour.

Aspeopleweregettingupfortheirlunchhour,anelderlywomanaskedmewhyI
dothis.IexplainedthatNativeAmericansgaveusaheritagebecausetheywereon
thislandbeforewewere.IsaidIlovetoteachthistopeopleandIdoitasa
volunteer.Shesaid,Iknowyouarebecausethatsthekindofpersonyouare.

IguessthatsanotherreasonIwasabletoconnectwiththisaudience.Itsnow
workedformewitheveryonefromCubScoutstothoseafflictedwithAlzheimers
Disease.

BuildingCapacityinYourOrganization
2015TomRomito,Facilitator,Cleveland,OH44109USA
Email:
thomasmromito@gmail.com
Web:

http://www.tomromito.com