Cultural Profile Resource: Wales A resource for aged care professionals Birgit Heaney Dip. 13/11/2016 A resource for aged care professionals Table of Contents Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................... 3 Location and Demographic ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Everyday Life ................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Etiquette ............................................................................................................................................................................ 5 Cultural Stereotype ........................................................................................................................................................... 6 Family ............................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Marriage, Family and Kinship .......................................................................................................................................... 8 Personal Hygiene ............................................................................................................................................................ 11 Leisure and Recreation ................................................................................................................................................... 12 Religion ........................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Food and Diet ................................................................................................................................................................. 15 Health .............................................................................................................................................................................. 16 Language ......................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Cue Cards ........................................................................................................................................................................ 18 Disclaimer ....................................................................................................................................................................... 18 References ....................................................................................................................................................................... 18 2 A resource for aged care professionals Wales Culture Profile Introduction This profile of the Wales cultural community is just one of the many projects undertaken by Quality Aging. This project aims to provide relevant information for community groups and residential aged care providers to implement “best practice” strategies of care for the older individuals from diverse backgrounds. This project is about ensuring the needs of older persons from a Wales cultural background are met. Population trends within Wales are increasingly characterized by a diversity of people, languages and culture. Together with this trend is an aging population, also with a rich diversity of languages and cultures. Not surprisingly then, that residential aged care providers are faced with growing demands for culturally responsive facilities and care. This profile aims to create a tool to provide aged care providers with An awareness of the cultural and linguistically diverse needs of older persons from a Wales background. It also strives to enable the professional capability and progress of staff in the provision of culturally inclusive care; and The organisation’s compliance with the Residential Care Standards and National Care Standards as they pertain to the issue of cultural and linguistic needs. The profile provides beneficial information about a variety of subjects and resources. This is a guide only and is not intended to replace one stereotype of this culture with another; it is only intended to provide some insight into the culture. Nor does it reduce the importance of you establishing the individual cultural needs of each person as part of your care planning process. In an effort to continue to provide you with updated information of this profile and improve its contents, we encourage readers to provide feedback by contacting Quality Aging at [email protected] 3 A resource for aged care professionals Location and Demographic Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and is part of the island of Great Britain and offshore islands. It is bordered by England to its east, the Irish Sea to its north and west, and the Bristol Channel to its south. It has a total area of 2,064,100 hectares (5,101,000 acres) and is about 170 mi (274 km) from north to south and at least 60 mi (97 km) wide. It has a number of offshore islands, by far the largest of which is Anglesey. The mainland coastline, including Anglesey, is about 1,680 mi (2,704 km) in length. As of 2014, Wales had a population of about 3,092,000; Cardiff is the capital and largest city and is situated in the urbanised area of South East Wales. Wales has a complex geological history which has left it a largely mountainous country. The coastal plain is narrow in the north and west of the country but wider in the south, where the Vale of Glamorgan has some of the best agricultural land. Exploitation of the South Wales Coalfield during the Industrial Revolution resulted in the development of an urban economy in the South Wales Valleys, and the expansion of the port cities of Newport, Cardiff and Swansea for the export of coal. The smaller North Wales Coalfield was also developed at this time, but elsewhere in the country, the landscape is rural and communities are small, the economy being largely dependent on agriculture and tourism. The climate is influenced by the proximity of the country to the Atlantic Ocean and the prevailing westerly winds; thus it tends to be mild, cloudy, wet and windy. The population of Wales doubled from 587,000 in 1801 to 1,163,000 in 1851 and had reached 2,421,000 by 1911. Most of the increase came in the coal mining districts, especially Glamorganshire, which grew from 71,000 in 1801 to 232,000 in 1851 and 1,122,000 in 1911. Part of this increase can be attributed to the demographic transition seen in most industrialising countries during the Industrial Revolution, as death rates dropped and birth rates remained steady. However, there was also large-scale migration into Wales during the Industrial Revolution. The English were the most numerous group, but there were also considerable numbers of Irish and smaller numbers of other ethnic groups, including Italians, who migrated to South Wales. Wales also received immigration from various parts of the British Commonwealth of Nations in the 20th century, and African-Caribbean and Asian communities add to the ethno cultural mix, particularly in urban Wales. Many of these self- identify as Welsh. 4 A resource for aged care professionals Everyday Life Etiquette Man greeting Man - Men shake hands when greeting one another and usually throw in a "How do you do." Handshakes are usually on the lighter side and don't linger that much Woman greeting Woman- At a first meeting, women generally shake hands. Good friends will often share a kiss on the cheek or a light hug. Man greeting Woman- At a first meeting a regular handshake will do. Women tend to extend their hand first. Some good friends may share a kiss on the cheek or a light hug. Gifts are not usually exchanged at a first meeting. If invited to a Welsh household, it is appropriate to bring good wine, liquor, or chocolates/pastries. Make sure that gifts are nicely wrapped. When doing business direct questions often receive evasive responses. Arriving on time for a meeting is important as punctuality is valued and first impressions go a long way. Business meetings tend to be structured but not too formal, beginning and ending with a bit of small talk. Being polite is highly valued. Expect a lot of "please" and "thank you" and "sorry". The Welsh tend to be more indirect than overly direct. Being too blunt may be considered impolite in many situations. Pay attention to tone of voice and facial expression as it may be an indication of what is really being conveyed. 5 A resource for aged care professionals Cultural Stereotype The Welsh Are A Nation Of Singers The list of world-class Welsh voices covers a vast range of music genres – featuring international stars Dame Shirley Bassey and Sir Tom Jones, classical singers Aled Jones and Kathleen Jenkins, pop divas Charlotte Church and Duffy, and indie bands the Manic Street Preachers, Super Furry Animals and the Stereophonics. Welsh male voice choirs hold a special place in Welsh popular culture, and are emblematic of the mining communities of the South Wales Valleys. With this legacy it’s easy to understand this particular misperception. The Welsh All Wear The National Costume Welsh school children and some