To provide appropriate care that responds to the speci c needs of people with life-limiting illnesses,
it is important to recognise cultural considerations associated with end of life and bereavement.
Overview
Topic 4: Culture-centred care of people with life-limiting illnesses will provide an opportunity
to develop knowledge and skills associated with providing culturally-appropriate care for people with
life-limiting illnesses.
Aims and objectives
This focus topic is based on the core principles of palliative care and is designed to supplement
the learning activities in Module 1: Principles of palliative care.
After completing this focus topic, you should be able to:
n Understand the role of culture in contributing to individuals’ experiences of living with a life-limiting
illness
n Apply principles of culture-centred care when caring for people with life-limiting illnesses.
Topic 4: Workbook
Culture-centred care of people
with life-limiting illnesses
PCC4U Workbook | 2020 47
Topic 4: Workbook
Section 1: Diversity in contemporary Australian society
Activity 1: Diversity in Australian healthcare
2. What were things you could have done to improve the situation?
1. Think about someone you have cared for from one of the groups listed in Activity 1. What cultural considerations
were associated with caring for them?
Thinking Points
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Activity 2: Culturally diverse populations in Australia
2. In your own words, describe the differences and similarities between cultural competence and cultural safety.
1. Reect on your own culture. What are your beliefs? How do you respond when your beliefs are not consistent
with others?
Thinking Points
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Activity 3: Amy’s story
1. Amy’s family makes an appointment with you to discuss their concerns about Amy’s memory and change
in behaviour. Discuss what advice you would give them.
Thinking Points
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Topic 4: Workbook
Section 2: Culture-centred communication
Activity 4: Intercultural communication principles
1. Consider the principles when communicating with a person whose second language is English. Outline strategies
you would use to:
n
Say good morning and ask how they are feeling
n
Explain how and why vital signs are taken
n
Explain the goals of palliative care as opposed to active treatment
n
Explain the purpose of an advance care plan.
Thinking Points
PCC4U Workbook | 2020 51
2. Consider a scenario that requires an interpreter to be involved. What information would you give to the
interpreter prior to commencing the interview with the person with a life-limiting illness?
Thinking Points continued
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Activity 5: Decision-making and care planning
1. Discuss the impact that withholding truth about the person’s condition can have:
n
On a person with a life-limiting illness
n
On their family
n
On you.
2.
H
ow is collective decision-making accommodated in healthcare?
Thinking Points
PCC4U Workbook | 2020 53
Activity 6: Amy is admitted to an aged care facility
1. What are some of the fears and concerns that Erik and Mei might be facing as carers, while caring for Amy
at home?
2.
W
hat information would you provide the medical interpreter with, prior to her rst meeting with Amy, Erik
and Mei at the Aged Care facility?
Thinking Points
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Activity 7: Access to services and care
1. List strategies that could be used to increase the uptake of healthcare services by people from culturally
and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
2.
D
iscuss education and support that would ensure everyone’s cultural safety is met.
Thinking Points
Topic 4: Workbook
Section 3: Providing person-centred care
PCC4U Workbook | 2020 55
Activity 8: Symptom management
1. Select one cultural group. Review some literature to describe the common traditional beliefs held about pain
and other symptoms within that cultural group.
2.
W
hat are your cultural beliefs about this?
3.
H
ow would you take these beliefs into consideration in your practice?
Thinking Points
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Activity 9: Cultural and individual differences
1. Discuss how staff attitudes about Amy, Mei and Erik’s cultural practices would:
n
Affect care provided to Amy and her family
n
Impact on Amy and her family’s psychological wellbeing.
2.
W
hat strategies could be used to educate healthcare professionals about cultural competence?
Thinking Points
PCC4U Workbook | 2020 57
Activity 10: Understanding spiritual needs and sources of distress
1. What issues should be considered in deciding whether articial nutrition has a role in a person’s care
at end of life?
2.
H
ow does your culture grieve?
Thinking Points
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Topic 4: Workbook
Section 4: Support for people from culturally diverse backgrounds
at end stages of life
Activity 11: End-of-life care
1. Describe ways that you would accommodate requests for visits from a large number of family and community
members in the journey to the end of life.
2.
I
s this similar to your culture?
Thinking Points
PCC4U Workbook | 2020 59
Activity 12: Support for Amy’s family at end of life
1. What should be considered when preparing for the family meeting to support Erik and Mei for Amy’s death?
2.
D
iscuss various cultural ceremonies and rituals that may be practiced around the time of a person’s death.
3.
W
hat might be some of the reasons that Dr Sayer would use the term ‘passed away’ rather than died?
Thinking Points
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Topic 4: Workbook
Section 5: Reections on what you have learnt
It is essential for all healthcare professionals to develop the capacity for reection
and self-evaluation of their professional and personal experiences, and to consider
how this can impact on themselves and others.
Consider the focus topic you have just completed and reect on the following
questions to assist with your ongoing development:
1. What key points have you learnt from the activities in this module that will
help you in providing care for people affected by life-limiting illness and their
families?
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2. What specic strategies do you plan to incorporate as a graduate healthcare professional?
3.
D
o you see any difculties using what you have learnt here as part of your practice as a healthcare
professional? Is so, what strategies might you use to address these difculties?
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