Introduction

When projecting growth in the aging of America, demographers anticipate:

• 25 percent of the population will be over 65 by 2030
• 25 percent will be nonwhite
• In some areas of the country (the Southwest and some regions of California), the nonwhite population will make up the majority of elders

Today, the aging population is more diverse than ever in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity and language, immigration history, socioeconomic levels and education.

In this changing demographic mosaic, in order to best serve all elders, the care provided by health and social service programs must also change.

This section highlights examples of programs working within the cultural framework of a community. Some may or may not be applicable to your programs. The purpose is to provide a spectrum of possibilities and opportunities for you to understand and test the concepts for your particular community.

Table of Contents

The Role and Importance of Culture

What is culture?
How does culture affect medical care?
Where do I start in developing appropriate health messages and services?

Targeting Messages

Attitudes, Values and Behaviors
LGBT Experience
Variations Within Cultural Groups
Language and Translations
Racial and Ethnic Terms
Sexual Orientation Terms
General vs. Targeted Messages

Steps to Developing Culturally Appropriate Messages

Common Mistakes in Developing Culturally Appropriate Messages

Resources