Patricia Sherman, Ph.D., LCSW

People must learn their own history and culture in order to understand the importance of history and culture to others.

Involve changes in self-concept and transition

to a new stage of identity

Provide for sanctioned public articulation ofprivate distress

Allow for reincorporation of bereaved into the social fabric and reaffirmation of theirsolidarity with the group

Determines how loss is perceived

Provides norms

Prioritizes ranking of loss

Suggests expectations about social support and coping styles

Gives rules for ways of regarding and responding to death

Decline of kinship and religion

Nuclearization and high mobility of the family

Diminished sense of community

Disengagement of the elderly

Laws governing disposal of dead bodies

Place of death

Employer leave policies

Religious and other social rituals

Values and beliefs by which people are comforted

Shared norms that provide “meaning”

Networks that supply supportive needs

Structures to support emotional expression of feelings and needs

How are cultural traditions and customsregarding death transmitted from generation to generation?

What moral and ethical issues relate to end of-life care and death and how do people of diverse cultural backgrounds react to these moral and ethical principles?

How are life and death conceptualized in different cultures?

What are the different roles of religion andspirituality?

How has history affected the mourning process of various cultures?

What are the culturally prescribed rituals formanaging the dying process, thedeceased’s body, the disposal of thebody, and commemoration of the death?

What are the family’s beliefs about whathappens after death?

What does the family consider an appropriateemotional expression and integration of the loss?

What does the family consider to be thegender rules for handling the death?

Do certain types of death carry a stigma (e.g.,suicide) or are certain types of deathespecially traumatic (e.g., death of a child)?

What does the immediate family do when a family member dies?

What do friends and other relatives do when a family member dies?

What expectations do people have for the immediate family and other relatives?

How long is bereavement expected to last?

What is different if it is a child or adult whodies?

What meaning is attached to the death of aninfant or child?

How does religious affiliation affect what family members do and what is expected of them?

Body should be placed on the floor facingNorth

Issue death certificate promptly to ensurecremation (unless a child)

Post mortem only if essential

Only persons of same gender should touch body after death

Stoic acceptance of death; crying discouraged

Life seen as transient stage towards Nirvana

Close eyes, straighten limbs

Family will wash and dress body

Lay out body at home

Children and adults are cremated; stillborn and infants are buried

Organ donation OK

Post mortems only if necessary

Dress deceased in white cotton shroud along with 5 “K’s” (Kara – bangle worn on right wrist serves as reminder of faith; Kesh uncut hair; Kanga – small wooden or plastic comb, denoting ordered and disciplined life; Kirpan – symbolic sword worn under clothes symbolizing protection of the weak; Katchera – special underwear symbolizing modesty and sexual morality)

Spanish; Roman Catholic

Vocal expressions of grief expected

Prefer to die at home (may believe soul will be lost if die in hospital)

Family attends to body

Prolonged wakes

Dead are often worshipped – Day of the Dead, November 1st and 2nd

Combination of Buddhist and Christian religions (or none, since religious practice outlawed in 1949)

Dying at home considered bad luck

Quiet expressions of grief (to save face)

Mourning reactions often somatized

Clean and dress body in new clothing, shoes,jewelry and ornaments after it is completely cold

Close eyes

Seal corpse in coffin

Altar set up in front of coffin for displayingofferings of candles, flowers, incense, and fruits

If accidental death, family members go to spotof accident to call and escort the soul home

Delay sending body to funeral home because of belief that before the consciousness has left completely, refrigeration, use of chemicals, and cremation may cause suffering

White piece of paper announcing the death isposted outside main entrance to home

Temporary altar with deceased’s photo andlotus seat is established

Visitors come for next 49 days, bringingincense, flowers and food for the deceased

and present money or posters honoring the deceased for the family

Rituals performed every seven days, sinceBuddhism teaches that consciousness inthe limbo state goes through dying process every seven days

Close eyes, cover body with clean sheet

Wash and shroud body (unless a martyr – then bury in clothes they died in)

Body treated minimally and quickly with funeral service held within 24 hours of death

Only men accompany body to gravesite

No coffin, if possible; body lies on right side, facing Mecca

Excessive grief a sign of lack of faith

Body treated minimally and quickly withfuneral service held within 24 hours of death

Tearing of black ribbon or garment

Pallbearers carry casket, stopping seven times to commemorate seven stages of life

Bowl of water placed in cup at entrance ofhome to dispel spirits of uncleanness

Light Shiva candle to begin seven days ofmourning

First meal after funeral is prepared byneighbors and friends – often contains round foods, such as hard boiled eggs and lentils, to symbolize cyclical nature of life

Recite Kaddish (ritual prayer affirming life andfaith in God) at graveside, anniversary ofdeath, and four sacred times during the year

Each tribe has different cultural practices

Avoid contact with dying; often prefer to die in hospital

Fear of openly expressing religious beliefs dueto past persecution

Discomfort with idea of afterlife – place large rocks over gravesite