Kāpō Māori Aotearoa (KMA) has released a Māori referral pathway to improve access to its Specialist Kāpō Māori Service (SKMS).
SKMS is a customised service focusing on the indigenous needs of tāngata kāpō (blind, deafblind or low vision) Māori and their whānau, delivered through a kaupapa Māori (research and evaluation by Māori, for Māori) approach and underpinned by tikanga Māori (customary practices). Support is available to patients of all ages who are blind, deafblind or have significant vision loss, to help engage, access and navigate Blind Low Vision NZ (BLVNZ) assessment and rehabilitation services. KMA and BLVNZ services are provided simultaneously, with staff working collaboratively to meet the health and wellbeing needs of the person and their whānau.
KMA president Nigel Ngahiwi (Ngāti Maniapoto) said receiving support underpinned by tikanga Māori can make a real difference to kāpō Māori and their whānau. Ngahiwi, who became blind after a 1989 car accident, aged 19, said his whānau felt at a loss in the years that followed. “Better and more accessible information for my family would have made a significant impact at the time. It really affected us, not knowing what kind of support I could access or how to go about it. I’m still on the KMA board because this is a priority to me, to help ensure my fellow kāpō Māori and whānau are informed and can access the services they require.”
Benefits
Seeking to improve Māori eye health, plus health and wellbeing outcomes in general, KMA operates with a holistic view, focusing on the individual and the family. “This is part of who we are as Māori and as service providers. It is also how we are different to mainstream services, which tend to be very patient focused,” Ngahiwi said.
