Educating Gerontologists for Cultural Proficiency in End-of-life Care Practice

Abstract

An educational program was developed to train practitioners to provide care for patients and families that are responsive to cultural concerns. The aim was to increase knowledge and improve attitudes toward providing culturally proficient and culturally sensitive care for patients and families facing life-threatening illnesses. The program consisted of six half-day sessions on key areas in end-of-life care practice. The modules integrated and infused content related to ethnically and culturally diverse populations in a comprehensive training format. Evaluation results suggested that the program was successful in increasing participant knowledge and attitudes towards cross-cultural interdisciplinary practice of end-of-life care.

This project was developed with the support of the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey, the Aetna Foundation, and the Roche Foundation.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gary L. Stein

Gary L. Stein was Executive Director, New Jersey Health Decisions, Verona, NJ during the implementation of this project. This project was conducted under the auspices of New Jersey Health Decisions.