Example Of Essay On Understanding Indigenous People’s Cultural Belief And Traditions In Death And Dying

Introduction

Palliative care governs an active care to the patients whose disease does not respond to curative treatment especially at the end stage of life. This ensures in achieving the best of quality life for the patients and their families . The holistic approach in palliative practice needs considering several cultural aspects among indigenous people prevalent in many countries. In the context of any society’s responses in relation to healthiness and illness frames the specific cultural behaviors, values and beliefs of the society . Cultural differences among health care providers and these indigenous people, include a variety of hypothesis and expectations about how conversation should take place and who should be concerned in decision-making . This needs a collaborative move among the mainstream health care providers and health workers among aboriginal people with their values, viewpoints, cultural and spiritual customs, and traditions . This study tries to identify the strategies to enhance palliative care and ways needed to deliver a culturally suitable and inventive model of health care.

Understanding indigenous people’s cultural belief and traditions in death and dying is of much significance while accessing the use of palliative care services in Australia. The most important issues are culture, language and the geographic differences that pose barriers and challenges in accessing and utilizing palliative care . The mainstream palliative care disconnected culturally or geographically from these indigenous people that gives them a sense of isolation to take part in health care provisions. The culture of these people reveals an apparent resistance in the idea of inpatient care in mainstream hospitals, and believes that this removes them from their homeland and family. Care of a family member who is ill is the responsibility of the family, caring should take place in Aboriginal country. Traditionally the Aboriginal family structure is the most important factor in developing the identity of most Aboriginal people and they want to perceive that all its young community grows up with a powerful sense of Aboriginality . They believe land as spiritual, and want to stay within their own country recognized by a group or by an ethnic name. Their culture is an amalgamation of material things and spiritual, where rituals are present in all aspects of life. Spirituality is an important aspect in their culture, believes in transcendence i.e. life beyond the material world and preparation for after life. They share a collective sense of religion and a belief in dreamtime.

Tradition among Aboriginal in death and dying

Tradition among Aboriginal people ensures not to depict a dead person or to voice the first name. Since they believe this will recall and disturb their spirit. Nowadays these laws not generally followed where colonization has taken place. Where traditions are still stronger, the tradition of not naming a dead person is still prevalent . Nowadays the protocols of naming differ a lot but in some places, the names of deceased people not spoken or written. The families and communities sometimes decide to permit the use of the names of their loved ones who are dead. In some cases the family determines that a substitute name instead of the name of the dead person. If someone passed in the community, the whole community gets together and shares their grief within the community. This ensures in sharing sorrow within the community.

Culturally appropriate palliative care to patient and family

It ensures in developing some principles to develop a culturally appropriate palliative care to patient and family. These are as under :

Equality

Sovereignty or empowerment
Faith
Sympathetic or non-judgmental care
Faultless care
Stress on living
Cultural values
The first principle is the democratic right to equal access to services. One of the chief barrier in this sphere is most of these services are applicable in towns and in urban areas. The other significant philosophy of health care is the principle of sovereignty where people are encouraged to make primary choices with family and the health care professionals’ needs to put into practice and sustain their choices. Therefore, to respect the preferences of indigenous people it is significant to share information with suitable people in family and society through family meetings. This makes sure in respecting their cultural system of sharing information and understanding to make independent choices . There is little compatibility in between the fundamental values of western therapeutic system and customary Aboriginal beliefs. Sympathetic or non-judgmental care is the basis of palliative care. This requires the health care professionals to offer sympathy to sick people with a tolerant attitude that allows the individuals the reassurance of being responsive too. Another important principle is seamless care. This requires a collaborative attitude from various disciplinary of health professionals and community-based organizations that work together for the continuation of care. This requires responsive psychosocial care and expert clinical care. The palliative care code ensures in excellence of life and gives emphasis to livelihood rather than dying at the end-of-life care. One of the most important proposals is for the concept of respect to allow all transactions with indigenous people . The attitude of respect is mainly significant in accordance to cultural practices and values.

Other measures in providing a culturally appropriate care

Engaging more personnel and organizations among this community in planning, delivery, and evaluation in PEPA (Program of Experience in Palliative Approach) is essential and implements educational activities that are more appropriate culturally. Communication among the organisations and workers, which values cultural differences, providing information and training in delivery of care to govern the principle of cultural respects are necessary. A reference group representing their community will supervise development and implementation of strategies in ensuring palliative care among these people. The indigenous project and education officers will recommend while developing guidelines, strategies and educational materials as well as principles of cultural respect. The cultural respect governs interventions or services that must not compromise cultural rights, values and expectations of these indigenous people. Other measures include use of appropriate language, appropriate non-verbal communication, considering gender issues and in using appropriate communications .

Conclusion

All the above study identifies the basic needs in developing palliative care model among the indigenous people in dying or death. These require understanding of their traditional customs and beliefs, and practices, respect for their individual choices and ensuring family and community in their end stage of caring. This also ensure in gaining trust and faith from these people by the health care professionals and reducing the compatibility in between the western medicinal system and the indigenous system of health care. This also accounts in being sympathetic in providing palliative care.

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