ABSTRACT
As the initial support which was evident during the funeral gathering begins to dissipate, and family and friends return to other personal concerns, survivors may need maintenance from outside sources to sustain their strength during the long process of mourning. Americans of all ethnic groups and races tend to gravitate toward their own religious institutions and immediate families for support after a death. From a multicultural point of view, the way a family seeks and embraces aftercare services differs as greatly as the way the family grieves. Oftentimes however, the particularly grievous nature of the death, and/or the lack of a mainstream community whose culture is like their own, has forced many grieving individuals to turn to their funeral directors or mental health professionals for aftercare services. In light of this need, it is essential that funeral directors acquire knowledge regarding the varied aftercare needs of a diverse, multicultural society.
