Grief felt for the loss of loved ones occurs in people
of all ages and cultures. Different cultures, however, have different myths and
mysteries about death that affect the attitudes, beliefs, and practices of the
bereaved.
Individual, personal experiences of grief are similar
in different cultures.
The ways in which people of all cultures feel grief
personally are similar. This has been found to be true even though different
cultures have different mourning ceremonies and traditions to express grief.
Cultural issues that affect people who are dealing
with the loss of a loved one include rituals, beliefs, and roles.
Helping family members cope with the death of a loved
one includes showing respect for the family's culture and the ways they honor
the dead. The following questions may help caregivers learn what is needed by
the person's culture:
What are the cultural rituals for coping with dying,
the deceased person's body, and honoring the death?
What are the family's beliefs about what happens after
death?
What does the family feel is a normal expression of
grief and the acceptance of the loss?
What does the family consider the roles of each family
member in handling the death?
Are certain types of death less acceptable (for
example, suicide), or are certain types of death especially hard for that
culture (for example, the death of a child)?
Death, grief, and mourning are normal life events. All
cultures have practices that best meet their needs for dealing with death.
Caregivers who understand the ways different cultures respond to death can help
patients of these cultures work through their own normal grieving process.
