Publisher's Synopsis
Designed for professional carers in hospitals and hospices, nursing tutors and librarians, this is a guide to the beliefs and practices of the worlds main religions in face of death and dying. It was an immediate success when first published by the Lisa Sainsbury Foundation in 1986.;The purpose of this edition is to help the nurse to understand and respond in terms of a particular cultural background to the needs and expectations of the dying patient and his family. After all, how can a nurse be expected to respect her patients' dietary laws, rules of cleanliness and modesty, times for prayer, the symbolic significance of objects and images? Even after a patient has died, the nurse may have to know how to conduct herself confidently when asked by the family to cooperate in facilitating the ceremonial practices that now become necessary. She may even be invited to participate in some of them.;Much of what it contains is relevant not just to the Chinese but to other national groups throughout South East Asia. Apart from setting our customary practices, Julian Neuberger's first and last chapter focuses on helping the carer to tune in on the individual needs of the individual patient, his family and friends. She warns against "labelling" patients according to the religion they put on the admission form. Such labels may signify the patients community allegiance rather than his specific set of beliefs.;What these are the carer can only discover from the patient himself, his relatives and friends, by careful listening and sensitive enquiry at the appropriate moment. The strong, practical emphasis throughout this book makes it an ideal textbook and guide for all those whose task it is to understand and support the dying patient and those close to him.
