NUR 342

Chapter 4
Culture and Aging
Objectives
• Identify factors contributing to the nurse’s cultural sensitivity
• Discuss approaches that facilitate an appreciation of diverse
cultural and ethnic experiences
• Explain the prominent health care belief systems
• Identify nursing care interventions appropriate for ethnically
diverse older adults
• Formulate a plan of care incorporating ethnically sensitive
interventions

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Nursing Care Questions
• Verbal exchanges
• Facial and body expressions
• Postures
• Gestures
• Touching

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Factors Contributing to a Nurse’s
Cultural Sensitivity
• Know your own ethnocentrism.
• Effective cultural competence includes knowledge about
ethnicity, culture, language, and health beliefs, as well as
skills to optimize intercultural communication.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY5lkXhWE2g Start 50
secs.

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Health Disparities
• Are associated with persons of color.
• The goal of Healthy People 2020 is to achieve health
equity, eliminate disparities, and improve the health of all
groups.

• Where do disparities lie?

• http://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/disparitiesAbo
ut.aspx

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Reduction of Disparities
• Increase cultural competence.
• Nurses learn personal biases, prejudices, attitudes, and
behaviors.
• Increase cultural awareness.
• Calls for the nurse to reflect on any biases of ageism and
racism.
• Obtain cultural knowledge.
• Is formally and informally obtained by the nurse.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsbRMMAyZ0U

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Western or Biomedical System
• Disease is the result of abnormalities in the structure and
function of body organs and systems caused by the
invasion of germs.
• Treatment destroys the invading organism.
• Prevention involves avoiding pathogens, chemicals,
activities, and dietary agents that are thought to cause
abnormalities.

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Personalistic or Magicoreligious
System
• Believes that supernatural entities, such as gods, deities,
or nonhuman beings that include ghosts, ancestors, or
spirits, cause illness.
• Health is viewed as a blessing or reward.
• Rituals, such as the “laying on of hands” and prayer
circles, are performed.

• Can you give other examples?

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Cultural Skills

• Based on mutual respect

• Listening carefully
• Attending to both verbal and nonverbal communication
• Understanding the meaning behind the “story”
• Explain the nurse’s perception clearly without judgment
• Acknowledging differences/similarities between the nurse’s
perception of goals and the elder’s
• Develop a plan that considers both perspectives and is
mutually acceptable

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Naturalistic or Holistic
Health System
• Is based on the concept of balance.
• Disturbances in balance result in disharmony and,
subsequently, illness.
• Stems from civilizations of China, India, and Greece.
• Diagnosis requires determination of the type/extant of
imbalance
• Treatments are methods to restore balance and harmony

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Use of Interpreters
• Interpreter tells the older adult client what the nurse has
said and then tells the nurse what the client has said.
• A translator deals with the written word.
• Communication needs to be respectful.
• Eye contact is disrespectful with some cultures.
• Sentences should be short.
• Metaphors are avoided.

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Implications of the Gerontological
Nurse and Healthy Aging
• Nurses listen to their clients as the nurses try to
understand the situation.
• Tools are used to elicit health care beliefs.
• Nurses collaborate with traditional or alternative healers,
if appropriate to the client’s culture.
• Understanding the client’s beliefs will provide quality care
to promote healthy aging.

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Long-Term Care for Culturally
Diverse Older Adults
• Families are expected to care for older adults in many
cultures.
• Long-term care takes place in the home, assisted living
and skilled nursing facilities, and hospice.

• What services might be needed?

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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• Poverty is common in persons of color, thus meeting
basic needs (level one) is difficult.
• Nurses need to be sensitive to client concerns.
• Cultural identity may be a major element of self-concept
and a key to self-esteem

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Question
The patient arrives at your clinic. The patient’s daughter reports a
decrease in cognitive function. Which of the following could be
causes for this event?

A.Urinary tract infection

B.Eye infection
C.Change of residence
D.Muscle atrophy

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References
• Touhy, T.A., & Jett, K.F. (2014). Ebersole and Hess'
Gerontological Nursing & Healthy Aging (4th ed.). St.
Louis, Elsevier.
• Touhy & Jett Powerpoint
• www.youtube.com
• Healthy People 2020

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