Some Low German families seek medical interventions only when home remedies or their community’s lay practitioners are unable to resolve the issue.
When Low German-speaking Mennonites from Latin America arrive in Ontario, there are huge cultural shifts that need to be made. They bring with them an understanding of how things were in the colonies they left behind and soon learn that the Canadian medical context is quite different. For service providers, accompanying the Low German Mennonites as they adapt often requires much sensitivity and understanding. It is hoped that the following outline will help to set a context for how this group of people has approached issues of health and well-being.
Accessing health services
In Latin America, many Low German speaking families access formal health services only when home remedies or their community’s lay practitioners are unable to resolve a medical issue.
In the communities in Mexico and South America, individual health has been traditionally managed through a variety of sources, including herbs, natural remedies, chiropractic and, at times, modern medicine
In Latin America, Low German Mennonites live in villages that are often quite remote. In some cases, horse-and-buggy transportation may be the primary mode of transportation, and travelling to larger centres means accessing public transportation. Further, many of these countries do not have universal health insurance; this can create a significant financial burden on the family. It can be difficult for families from Mexico or Latin America to understand the variety of health services and specialties that are available to them.
“The process for medical appointments (in Ontario) is sometimes very frustrating. We come from Mexico and my wife is pregnant. We know we need to see a doctor who will deliver the baby but now we have to go to our nurse practitioner and then she has to send us to the obstetrician. It would be so much easier to just go to the obstetrician without all these extra appointments. In Mexico, there are not these constant appointments at doctors until the baby is born. These procedures are strange to us.”
Since there are very few educated and licensed Low German-speaking health care providers in Latin America, and since the women do not speak Spanish, their husbands will often accompany them to appointments and translate for them.
Universal health care in Ontario
When they arrive in Ontario, Low German families value and appreciate the health care system. To be able to access medical care 24/7 is seen as a privilege. However, it can be a struggle to understand medical specialties, and some have expressed frustration that several appointments and referrals are required for addressing one issue. Often, the expectation is that the medical practitioner should prescribe medication for one’s ailment and if this does not occur, the person may leave the appointment feeling that the consultation was a waste of time and resources.
“Our start in Ontario was very hard. My husband was a Canadian citizen but I was not. We came here in February and I was in the beginning of my pregnancy. A health card can’t be issued until you have lived in Canada for three months, but before getting a card, you need to have the proper documents supporting your status. I applied for my landed immigrant status but could not get a health card in time. We ended up having the baby and had to pay for everything ourselves. What a setback that was! I finally got my health card two years later. I had it when my next baby was born.”
