Lay summary
My experiential learning while caring for my mum with dementia opened my eyes, ears, and heart to a world of inequity, frustration, sadness, ignorance, and health disparities. The lack of support for whānau as caregivers of aging whānau and kaumātua was evident as I navigated my way through sectors and systems in trying to care for my mum. Having recent exposure to research has made me realise how research as a tool can and should be used to inform, improve, and advance Māori health, with a particular focus on aged care for Māori. This research training grant will support research skill development in a project focused on kaumātua in Kahangunu. Skills will be developed in kaupapa Māori research practices, qualitative data collection, analysis, and academic writing with the intention that this will build local research capacity and capability in Kahungunu, particularly in research and kaumātuatanga.