ABSTRACT
Culturally competent practice implies much more than obtaining basic knowledge about a specific population group. It involves a commitment to create a society in which all members are valued for their particular and distinctive talents, contributions, and abilities. In an increasingly multiracial, multicultural, and multiethnic society it also implies an unwavering determination to work toward social and economic justice. The preceding chapters offer the reader an opportunity to explore and consider the perspectives of several groups of ethnic elders. The goal of this book is to increase and enhance the reader's knowledge base of the historical context, value system, and cultural variables that influence elders' behaviors in seeking and utilizing health and social services, and to provide direction in the form of models of intervention and strategies for culturally competent practice. As stated in the beginning of this work, the aging population in the United States necessitates incorporation of the particular needs of the ethnic elderly into our health and social service programs. The increase in the number of elderly, coupled with a growing minority population, suggests that practitioners, agencies, and institutions can no longer ignore the unique characteristics of this population when providing services.
