Cultural Considerations at the End of Life

At the end of life, attitudes about the loss of a loved one profoundly affect how both a dying person and his or her family and friends address the dying and the grieving processes. Diverse populations in the United States provide healthcare professionals with tremendous opportunities to bridge cultural gaps and learn about different values and religious and spiritual belief systems.

Purpose/GoalThe outcome of this course is for the learner to provide an overview of specific cultural influences at the end of life for African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indian/Alaskan Natives, and Muslim Americans, including the impact of religion and spirituality on funeral and burial practices and the challenges for healthcare professionals to become culturally competent with end-of-life care.

Course Objectives – Upon completion you will be able to do the following:

1. Identify cultural competence challenges at end of life.
2. Discuss cultural differences in response to death and dying.
3. Describe specific cultural considerations at the end of life for African Americans, Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, American Indian/Alaskan Natives, and Muslim Americans.
4. Differentiate between specific cultural issues for each cultural group.
5. Describe the influence of culture on funeral and burial practices.
6. Describe the influence of religion and spirituality on funeral and burial practices.