The background, culture, faith or sexuality of the person you care for may be different from your own. These factors may influence their preferences when it comes to how they're cared for.
You'll need to consider these factors if you begin to share a home with the person you care for and particularly if you're arranging for them to live in a care home or to be looked after by care workers. The care home or home care staff should be aware of the needs of the person you look after.
If the person you care for has a different culture or faith from yours, you'll need to consider how they worship or pray, their personal routines and the importance of objects or symbols to them. It may be useful to do some research if you're unfamiliar with their customs, traditions, rituals or needs.
In some cultures, caring is traditionally kept in the family or between close family friends. While this should be respected, it’s important that people know what help is available to them. Local social services and carers' groups may be able to help or offer advice.
If the person you care for has a different background from your own, it's important not to impose your views on them as this is likely to create tension and conflict.
Worship and prayer
The religion of the person you look after may require them to worship in a particular way. They may need:
- a particular time to pray,
- a particular space for prayer (for example, Muslims must pray facing Mecca), or
- suitable clothing and any religious objects or symbols, such as a holy book or head covering.
Religious objects or symbols
Each faith has its own symbols or objects, such as the Sikh turban, Jewish skull cap or Catholic rosary beads. These should be treated with respect and not removed without consent.
Washing facilities may also be required as Muslims may want to wash in running water before prayer.
Hair care
Hair care is an important part of many cultural groups and faiths. For example, Jewish women may wish to wear a wig and some Sikh men may wear their hair in coiled and wrapped under a turban.
You may need to help the person you look after with their hair care, depending on the time and facilities available to them.
Privacy and appearance
If you or the person you care for follow a particular religion, tell anyone who helps with you with caring (such as a professional care worker) so they can dress appropriately when visiting your home. Let them know if they need to cover parts of their body or cover their head with a veil, or wear salwar kameez or kurta pyjama (tunic and trousers, worn with a scarf for women), a kippah/yarmulkah or hat.
Meals
Meals and mealtimes are important in most religions or cultures. You may already be aware of the strict preparation of foods under Islamic halal or Jewish kosher rules. Catholics usually don't eat meat on Fridays.
The person you care for may also have important cultural food preferences, such as vegetarianism or veganism.
Language
You may care for someone who speaks a different language from you or uses sign language. While you may be able to learn a new language over time, try to ensure that they have someone who can communicate fluently with them so that they know what is happening and can have a say in their own care.
Tell social services about the language needs of the person you care for so that they can provide someone to translate or communicate in sign language. If the person lives in residential care, check that information (such as food menus) is available in their language.
Leisure
People usually want contact with others from their own cultural or religious groups, and being ill or having a disability shouldn't prevent this. Having access to local, cultural or religious communities, cultural events, newspapers, radio and TV channels can give people a sense of identity and help them feel part of the wider community. Ask the person you care for if they would like to get involved in their community. For example, they may wish to attend religious services.
Sexuality
The person you care may want to be involved with a community related to their sexuality. You may want to find out if there are lesbian, gay or bisexual groups in your area if they are of interest to the person you care for.
As with religious or cultural beliefs, it's important not to make assumptions about someone’s sexual preferences.
