ABSTRACT
Reminiscence work that focuses on bereavement experiences may evoke differing responses between cultures. The concept of culture in contemporary society has taken on a broad meaning that encompasses a number of characteristics common to the lives of a particular group of people: characteristics that include race, political and religious beliefs, family values and attitudes, and leisure habits. An individual’s cultural beliefs and attitudes may be a strong influence on their response to reminiscence work; different attitudes to being old, dying, death and grieving exist between cultures. The willingness and interest older people have in sharing their past may vary between cultures. Reminiscence workers, who are able to illustrate a heightened awareness of, and sensitivity to, the impact of the complex experience of emigration, and the role of cultural influences in the lives of individuals, develop increased empathy for people from minority cultures.
