Oglala lakota county foster grandparent program executive summary "they always say knowledge is wonderful, but without experience, IT has no meaning or feeling to IT

So children see our practices from the time they'RE little. They watch, and often they experience what they see in order to develop understanding." --albert white HAT, "zuya: life's journey" (2102) oglala lakota county in southwestern south dakota includes most of the pine ridge indian reservation. Our county has the third lowest life expectancy of any county in the united states. Our per capita income is usually in the bottom ten counties in the united states. Conventional public health wisdom tells US that only through an increase in per capita income will our longevity improve. As there appears little likelihood of our economic situation improving in the near future our challenge is to find other means of strengthening our communities so that we live longer and healthier lives. The idea of the well lived life is common to all cultures. In traditional lakota life, the ideal of the ikce wicasa, the common man, was the foundation of lakota life. People were expected to live in a humble, self effacing and generous hearted manner, always looking out for the welfare of the most disadvantaged people in the band – orphans and the elderly. Because of the dense, supportive and highly developed kinship system, mid nineteenth century lakota people were felt by some to be the healthiest people on earth, and not just because of having horses to hunt ample herds of buffalo. An oglala lakota person was confident that despite reverses in her fortunes, she still would be taken care of by loving, concerned relatives. Our oglala lakota county foster grandparent program will be an important piece in strengthening our communities. Our grandparents are the best individuals to pass on the wisdom and strengths of lakota culture to children who sometimes grow up with little or no exposure to elders because of our short life expectancy. Until about a year and a half ago, the foster grandparent program was successful and well received. Our project will once again place foster grandparents in our day cares, head starts and schools. The sponsoring non profit corporation wacante kiyapi (helping with a good heart) is based in oglala lakota county and has an eighteen year track record of successful projects which promote health and wellness in our lakota communities.