How Different Cultures React to Death and Dying - 1907 Words

How Different Cultures React to Death and Dying Abstract This research explores the literature across cultures on death and dying in order to highlight the impact of culture on reactions to death and the dying process. A theoretical framework is established, using Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s five stages of dying, followed by a succinct discussion of the reactions and attitudes toward death and the dying process of four cultures (Buddhist, Hindu, Native American and American). By illustrating the different reactions and attitudes toward death of these cultures, it is revealed that through increased cultural understanding health care workers can provide more personalized care to the dying. Keywords Fear, Mortality, Burial,†¦show more content†¦Instead, they believe the body must be cremated quickly after death. As Lama (2004, p. 1) maintains, â€Å"The belief that once it sheds its body, the soul prepares to depart immediately on its karmic journey, and as such, it’s very important to cremate the body as soon as practical so as not to provide any allurement for the soul to linger on this side of the world.† In such cultures there is little relating to the bargaining or depression stages of Kubler-Ross’ theory, but acceptance certainly applies to both Hindus and Buddhists. In fact, for the gerontologist, increased cultural understanding of the death and dying process aids overall quality of care. As Barker (1999, p. 161) reports on one study conducted on Hindus in a British community, â€Å"†¦poor communication due to linguistic and cultural distance between relatives and hospital staff, as well as lack of sensitivity involving the l atter, may be most distressful to the dying and their relatives.† Native Americans Native Americans also had and still have a unique perspective on death. It is doubtful Native Americans relate to any of the phases outlined by Kubler-Ross, save for acceptance. For Native Americans perceive death as merely one facet of what they view as the â€Å"Sacred hoop of life,† (Turner-Weeden, 1995, p. 11). This is because of their unique worldview with respect to what happens to the soul after death. Native Americans view life and death as a circular movement, wherein the processShow MoreRelatedEssay The Optimists Daughter: A Look at Death and Dying1432 Words   |  6 PagesThe Optimists Daughter: A Look at Death and Dying  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Fay struck out with her hands, hitting at Major Bullock and Mr. Pitts and Sis, fighting with her mother, too, for a moment. She showed her claws at Laurel, and broke from the preachers last-minute arms and threw herself forward across the coffin on to the pillow, driving her lips without aim against the face under hers. 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