CG88 - End of Life Care Clinical Guideline
APPENDIX 5
RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL BELIEFS
As death When death is Immediately Method of Funeral Mourning approaches imminent after death disposal customs practices Buddhism Resuscitation is an The ideal way to die No special There is no one The funeral usually There is great acceptable procedure in a fully conscious requirements Buddhist death takes place within variation according for Buddhists, but and calm state of relating to the care ritual, type of 3 -7 days; a service to the country of some traditions have mind. of the body; funeral or afterlife may take place origin, e.g. Sri special needs as Buddhists from requirement. within the house Lankan Buddhist death approaches. Dying Buddhists different countries prior to going to the mourners may To assist in the may request that a have their own Buddhists choose cemetery or return to work in passage to the next monk or nun be traditions. to bury or cremate crematorium. three or four days rebirth, which is not present to chant or according to local and place no the same as assist in the passing If monks or traditions. Monks may be religious reincarnation, from this life. religious teacher invited to remind restrictions on wholesome acts such are not present, Cremation is often the mourners of the widows. as generosity, If a monk is not inform the monks preferred as the impermanence of service, kindness or available a fellow of the appropriate body is considered life. Some Vietnamese pleasant thoughts are Buddhist may chant school. a vehicle that is Buddhists have a recalled. to encourage a impermanent. In Tibetan tradition series of rituals; peaceful state of Because rebirth is a ‘sky burial’ is still mourning may last The dying person mind. a fundamental part In some traditions practised, where 100 days and needs peace and of Buddhism, the it is desirable for the body is mourning for a quiet to allow for preparation for the body to remain dismembered and father or husband Meditation. death prevails over at the place of scattered for may last as long as the rituals death for seven vultures to eat. three years. A monk or religious associated with days to allow teacher should be death. rebirth to occur. invited to talk to the dying person and chant passages of scripture.
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CG88 - End of Life Care Clinical Guideline
As death When death is Immediately Method of Funeral Mourning approaches imminent after death disposal customs practices Judaism A rabbi may be called The dying person When a Jewish The Jewish Burial It is traditional for After burial there in to join the dying should not be left patient dies, nurses Society will collect relatives or friends are three periods Jew in prayer and alone. should always try the body and to keep vigil by the of mourning facilitate the recitation to contact the perform a ritual body and recite throughout which of the Confession on Jews present should patient’s rabbi or wash before the prayers, although designated a Death Bed. recite psalms and Jewish chaplain burial. in Judaism there is mourners recite when death occurs, designated to the no concept of last prayers thrice daily Withdrawing life the Declaration of hospital. The burial takes rites. and refrain from support after a the Faith (Shema). place as soon as certain activities. patient has been possible in simple A Jewish burial certified brain stem If they are not coffins. should take place The first week dead is a highly available, staff are as soon as (Shiva) mourners controversial area of permitted to carry If death occurs on possible after remain at home; Jewish law. In all out basic procedures the Sabbath or a death and thirty days instances, a rabbi immediately. festival, there is arrangements for (Shloshim) should be consulted. little the Jewish the release of the concludes Jewish law prevents These include community can do body should be mourning for all but active euthanasia as closing the eyes and to prepare for a made without the children of the human life is mouth, with funeral. delay. deceased who considered sacred strapping if mourn for a year. necessary. Any Judaism does not The service takes external catheters allow post mortem place in designated and medical examinations out Jewish burial equipment attached of respect for the grounds. Prayers to the body may be human body. are said in a chapel removed and all and at the incisions dressed. graveside.
It is essential that Some non- the body is laid flat, orthodox Jewish with hands open, communities permit arms parallel and cremation. close to the body, and the legs stretched straight, and covered with a white sheet.
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CG88 - End of Life Care Clinical Guideline
As death When death is Immediately Method of Funeral Mourning approaches imminent after death disposal customs practices Christianity Visitors are extremely When appropriate, a No specific Burial is generally It is customary for There is usually no (Afro- important to the sick priest or minister procedures are preferred to members of the official mourning Caribbean) and dying, and large may be notified. indicated. cremation. deceased’s family period or mourning numbers of them are to receive visitors dress. seen as a mark of Many Christians will Older people are from the respect. Apart from wish to receive unlikely to agree to community every There may be a visit by family Communion (which a post mortem night until after the memorial service members, it is will include some unless it is a legal funeral and for and/or common for the form of repentance requirement. most of the thanksgiving some pastor and members and forgiveness). community to months after the of the church or attend the funeral funeral. community to visit Prayers of as a mark of people in hospital. commendation may respect. also be said. Nurses should be sensitive to the needs Some Christians of the patient and his may wish for prayers or her visitors, who and anointing with oil may wish to pray and by a minister or sing hymns. priest.
Ideally, patients should be allocated a side room so that visitors can conduct a prayer meeting and sing, as this is not feasible on an open ward because of the disruption it would cause.
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CG88 - End of Life Care Clinical Guideline
As death When death is Immediately Method of Funeral Mourning approaches imminent after death disposal customs practices Christianity A very sick person The dying person No specific Cremation is not (Orthodox) or a member of his may want to take procedures are condemned but it or her family may confession and/or indicated. is rare because of ask a priest to holy communion. the belief in life perform one or after death. more of the holy These rituals are sacraments. important Traditionally the preparations for body is buried By anointing the the journey to the complete to await sick with oil in next life. resurrection. Christ’s name, the priest asks Him to In areas with large alleviate suffering orthodox and heal the communities person, either in contacting priests this or eternal life. should not be a problem. In areas with a small orthodox community, health care staff should plan ahead.
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CG88 - End of Life Care Clinical Guideline
As death When death is Immediately Method of Funeral Mourning approaches imminent after death disposal customs practices Rastafarianism Rastafarians have As there is no After death there Burials preferred to Post mortems, a duty to visit the formal structure or are no particular cremations. unless ordered by sick, and may do hierarchy, requirements and, the coroner, are so in large groups, someone such as with the relatives’ Some Rastafarians likely to be to pray for a an elder may consent, the body may wish to avoid unacceptable gravely ill patient. approach staff to can be prepared in touching a dead because of their request the usual way with body, as to do so unnatural administering last the arms placed at would require them invasiveness. rites to the dying the sides. to shave off their person. hair.
Sikhism A dying Sikh may A Sikh should die Health workers Cremation as soon After a short Mourning lasts for receive comfort with the name of should not trim hair as possible. ceremony at home up to ten days and from reciting God, Waheguru, or beard. The body the body, dressed includes readings hymns from the (Wonderful Lord) should be covered in the five Ks, is from the scriptures Sikh holy book. being recited. by plain cloth. taken to the temple attended by (gurdwara) for a relatives and A relative or any Some Sikhs may The five Ks service and then to friends. At the practising Sikh want to have Kesh (uncut hair) the crematorium for conclusion, the may do so instead. Amrit, holy water, Kara (a steel further prayers. eldest son is given in the mouth. bracelet) a turban as a sign Kanga (a wooden that he is now comb) head of the family. Kaccha (cotton underwear) Kirpan (sword) should remain on the body.
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CG88 - End of Life Care Clinical Guideline
As death When death is Immediately after Method of Funeral customs Mourning approaches imminent death disposal practices Hinduism Hindus may When death is The family will usually Cremation as soon Part of the service Mourners and receive comfort imminent, the want to wash the as possible with takes place at home. friends return to from hymns and patient’s family body themselves. the exception of The priest (pandit) the deceased’s readings from the may wish to stay children under chants from scriptures house. Hindu holy books. by the bedside and If no family is three who are and the chief mourner be involved in available health buried. (usually the eldest In India, the period The family should care. workers should wear son) performs the of mourning and be present. disposable gloves, rituals. Mourners austerity (10 – 16 The family may close the eyes and walk round the coffin, days) culminates in Some dying wish to call a straighten the limbs. which is then closed rituals enabling the Hindus may wish Hindu priest and taken to the dead person’s soul to lie on the floor. (pandit) to perform Jewellery and crematorium for to join the holy rites. religious objects further prayers. ancestors. In Hindus often wish should not be Britain, these very to die at home A dying Hindu removed. important rituals should be given occur soon after Ganges water and the funeral and the sacred Tulsi involve gifts to the leaf in the mouth priest or to charity. by the relatives. A There may be person should die further rituals at with the name of one, three, six and God being recited. twelve months.
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CG88 - End of Life Care Clinical Guideline
As death When death is Immediately after Method of Funeral customs Mourning approaches imminent death disposal practices Islam Dying person may The Declaration of Non-Muslim health Always burial, The body is buried in Islamic law requires wish to face Faith (Shahada) is workers should ask ideally within 24 a deep grave facing the mourners to be towards Ka’sbih said and, if permission to touch hours of death. Mecca. In bigger fed for three days. (south east). possible, the dying the body, then use Women are not cities there are After this the family person responds. disposable gloves. included at the special areas for should officially Other Muslims, ‘I bear witness that burial. Male family Muslim burials and in return to normal. usually family there is no God but The body must be members and or some they are members, join the Allah and that kept covered at all friends carry the allowed to bury the dying person in Muhammad is his times. coffin either to the shrouded body prayer and recite Messenger’. mosque or directly without a coffin. In verses from the to the cemetery some instances the Quran. where the funeral body may be prayer is said. embalmed and taken If there is no next of back to the country of kin available the origin for burial. Islamic Trust may be contacted Jehovah’s There are no Routine last offices May be either buried Witnesses special rituals or procedure is or cremated practices for the appropriate. There depending on family dying but patients are no religious wishes. There are no who are ill objections to post specified funeral appreciate a visit mortems or rites, although a from one of their transplants. simple personal Elders. service is likely to be held at the Kingdom Hall.
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