Development of rehab services on a Canadian Indian reserve

Ten years ago, Kahnawake (Quebec), an Indian reserve of 5300 persons just south of the island of Montreal, had no rehabilitation services. Anyone needing such services had to travel into Montreal. Today, there is new $4.2 million, 43-bed hospital with well-equipped physical and occupational therapy rooms and a number of associated community-based rehabilitation programs. The development of medical and rehabilitation services in this small Indian community was brought about by a number of factors: the farsightedness of several individuals in the medical community, the hard work of the rehabilitation team members and, above all, the significant attitudinal changes in the community itself.