Choose an ethnic or cultural group different from your own and research the end-of-life beliefs of that culture.

4 to 5 typewritten pages, double spaced, 12-inch font (can go up to 7 pages if needed)

Choose an ethnic or cultural group different from your own and research the end-of-life beliefs of that culture. Topics to address include advanced care planning, family caregiving at the end of life, or ways of coping with death and bereavement. How do policies impact the groups’ ability to practice their end-of-life beliefs? Describe those beliefs and how they differ from your own. Describe how you will address those differences in practice. (20 percent of grade). 

There are many resources for finding out about cultural beliefs and practices. Please use peer-reviewed, academic sources.  Papers should have at least 5 sources, with at least two peer-reviewed articles and no more than two Internet resources. Papers should be 4 to 5 pages long. 

Outline

1) Introduction/Topic Statement (2 points)

a) Clearly identify the cultural group and the cultural practice related to the end of life that you have chosen to study. For this assignment, we are using a broad definition of “culture.”

b) Provide a “road map” for your paper. Your purpose or argument should be readily apparent to the reader and engages the reader. Clearly and concisely states the purpose of the paper in a single sentence. 

2) Description of cultural group (3 points)

a) Be specific and provide statistics (e.g., how many people and the context in which you are describing them). 

3) Description of end of life beliefs or cultural practice (8 points)

a) Draw upon at least two peer reviewed articles and no more than two web resources (journal articles that you access via the Internet are not “web resources” in this context). You may also use personal interviews, such as talking to a minister or imam, to obtain your information; make sure you cite the interviews properly. 

4) Role of Policy (2 points)

a) What policies impact these practices? Do policies exist that facilitate or discourage these practices?

5) Describe how these beliefs/practices differ from your own (3 points)

6) Describe how you will address those differences in practice in working with an older adult who is a member of the culture you describe and/or the family/significant others of the older adult. (2 points)