Culture and Background Matter

When it comes to care, our individual cultures and backgrounds really do matter. A study out of Canada helps to confirm this belief. Research from the University of British Columbia and Western University has indicated that indigenous women who are the victim of domestic violence respond much better to treatment and therapy when their cultural backgrounds are accounted for during their treatment.

 

This study looked at two different aspects of care that women were receiving, one of which was with a nurse that worked individually with women who were impacted by domestic violence. The other was a group session overseen by an elder from the same ethnic background as the women involved. The group sessions looked at ceremonies, traditions, and cultural crafts.

 

The women who received this treatment saw a marked increase in mental health. There was an increase in feelings of self-empowerment and a greater feeling of acceptance from friends and family members. In short, the acknowledgement of cultural background helped to improve the mental health benefits that treatment could bring about.

 

When we hear the word “culture” we tend to think about people from foreign countries who live life in a very different way than we do. We might even think about art, music, and the theater and how they point to various backgrounds of people. Regardless of what we think, it is often impossible to separate how we view the world and our own personal cultural background. Because of this, it only stands to reason that our culture plays a role in how we will fare when it comes to any sort of treatment or care.

 

It’s something that holds true for senior care, too. This study had nothing to do with senior care, but it’s easy to extrapolate the findings and acknowledge the a connection.

 

A cultural context to senior care can help improve the quality of life that our elderly loved ones receive.

 

Senior care is an important part of our loved one’s life and finding the right care team to work with them can do wonders when it comes to their happiness and health. A caregiver that is culturally sensitive or aware of any different needs or desires that might be in place is important because this will only increase the quality of life that your elderly loved one lives. This doesn’t mean that care must take place in the same cultural context, it just means that a caregiver must be able to understand any sort of cultural differences that could occur. Be sure to investigate this more thoroughly when you are beginning your hunt for the best caregiver for a family member.

 

Care in general can be hard to get right. A cultural context to care can be harder to take into account, but in the end, it will make the levels of care that are received much better. In the end, it will lead to a much higher quality of care. When care is stable and continuous, better results occur. This might take more effort on your part, but it will ensure that your elderly loved one gets the best care that they can get right from the beginning, and give them a better life thanks to it.

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