The concept of bathing and cleanliness is important to Hindu life as it represents the concept of purity. Most Hindus have a ritual of cleanliness and prayer which includes brushing teeth immediately upon waking, followed by bathing and then eating.
I will ask the man and his family if any special arrangements for mornings are to be arranged so that he can be up and washed before going to breakfast at the scheduled time of 9am. Also, along with the cleanliness concept for Hindus, I will wash my hands and ensure I am looking clean and tidy before the meeting, to ensure I don't come across as dirty or impure and offend them.
Many Hindus are strict vegetarians, abstaining from all meat fish and eggs. They do so because of a belief in non-violence and that non-vegetarian food impedes spiritual development. Some Hindus, however, only chose to abstain from meat of particular days of the week, and some will not eat from plates that have previously been used to serve meat. Because of this, I will ensure to clarify the man's dietary preferences and make sure the kitchen staff are aware, for example, to serve his food on plates that haven't been touched by meat. Most Hindus will also only eat food with their right hand, as the left hand is reserved for other things like cleaning their bodies, and will not eat food served to them by a left hand. I will ensure the kitchen staff are also aware of this when serving him food.
Many Hindus hold strong astrological beliefs and believe that the movements of the planets have an impact of their health and wellbeing. The Hindu man therefore may wish to schedule appointments with the care home nurse according to these beliefs and this will be made clear to the nurse and administration staff who arrange the appointments. I will ask the man and his family more information about this so that we can get his appointments scheduled when he wants them.
Hinduism views the needs of an individual to be of strong influence by the individual's family members, and decision making will strongly depend on the views of the whole family, not just the individual. I will therefore ask the family if any of them, or all of them, would like to be contacted in the event of any important decision making.
As the patient the meeting will involve is partially deaf, I will have to make sure that I am still communicating effectively and they he fully understands me. As the rest of the group members are not hearing impaired, I will not have to make any extra arrangements for these people. Effective communication requires the efforts of all people involved in the group meeting. Even when the patient with partial hearing impairment uses hearing aids, it is crucial that others involved in the communication process consistently use good communication strategies. These may rely on other factors too, not just the people, such as setting, lighting etc.
To communicate with the patient I will face him directly, speak slowly, clearly and articulate my words, without shouting or exaggerating as this could offend him and his family. I will keep my hands away from my face to avoid the possibility of covering my mouth, as this will make my speech too difficult to understand. I will lead the group and ensure everyone takes turns speaking and sharing their opinions, and make sure I prompt the patient to speak if it seems like he's hesitating to say something he might want to say. I will also provide timetables and similar information in writing, to give to him and his family to ensure that everyone is clear on the specifics and have it in writing if they need to refer back to it or ask questions.
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ellyharvey98gmailcom (student)
