Cultural Profile Resource Manual- Polish - Quality Aging · 2020. 7. 6. · • barszcz (beetroot soup), flaczki (tripe soup) • mizeria (cucumber, dill and cream salad) • nalesniki

CulturalProfileR esource:

PolishAresourceforagedcareprofessionals

Birgit Heaney Dip. 19/06/2014

A resource for aged care professionals

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TableofContents

Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................... 3

Background ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4

Everyday Life ................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Family ............................................................................................................................................................................... 7

Personal Hygiene .............................................................................................................................................................. 8

Leisure and Recreation ..................................................................................................................................................... 9

Religion ........................................................................................................................................................................... 10

Food and Diet ................................................................................................................................................................. 10

Health .............................................................................................................................................................................. 12

Death and Dying ............................................................................................................................................................. 13

Language ......................................................................................................................................................................... 14

Cue Cards ........................................................................................................................................................................ 14

Disclaimer ....................................................................................................................................................................... 15

References ....................................................................................................................................................................... 15


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PolishCultureProfile

This profile of the Polish cultural community is just one of the many projects undertaken by IntroductionQuality Aging.

This project aims to provide relevant information for community groups and residential aged care providers to implement “best practice” strategies of care for the older individuals from diverse backgrounds.

This project is about ensuring the needs of older persons from a Polish cultural background are met.

Population trends within Australia are increasingly characterized by a diversity of people, languages and culture. Together with this trend is an aging population, also with a rich diversity of languages and cultures.

Not surprisingly then, that residential aged care providers are faced with growing demands for culturally responsive facilities and care.

This profile aims to create a tool to provide aged care providers with

An awareness of the cultural and linguistically diverse needs of older persons from a Polish background.

It also strives to enable the professional capability and progress of staff in the provision of culturally inclusive care; and

The organisation’s compliance with the Residential Care Standards and National Care Standards as they pertain to the issue of cultural and linguistic needs.

The profile provides beneficial information about a variety of subjects and resources.

This is a guide only and is not intended to replace one stereotype of this culture with another; it is only intended to provide some insight into the culture. Nor does it reduce the importance of you establishing the individual cultural needs of each person as part of your care planning process.

In an effort to continue to provide you with updated information of this profile and improve its contents, we encourage readers to provide feedback by contacting Quality Aging at [email protected]


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Background The Republic of Poland (or ‘Polska’) with Warsaw as its capital, covers 312.685 sq kilometres.

It’s divided into sixteen provinces (or ‘wojewodztwo’) - Dolnoslaskie, Kujawsko-Pomorskie, Lodzkie, Lubelskie, Lubuskie, Malopolskie, Mazowieckie, Opolskie, Podkarpackie, Podlaskie, Pomorskie, Slaskie, Swietokrzyskie, Warminsko-Mazurskie, Wielkopolskie and Zachodniopomorskie.

Located in Central Europe, sharing borders with Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Russia and Belarus, Poland is mostly flat plain with mountains along its southern border.


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EverydayLife Formal manners are important to Polish born aged persons.

GreetingsPeople from Poland, can be quite formal when meeting someone for the first time. A handshake is normally the most common form of greeting upon meeting. When in mixed company, a women’s hand is shaken before the males’, with an older women’s hand shaken before a younger woman’s hand. It was also customary among the aged Polish-born for a man to kiss a woman’s hand. Polish born people like to embrace when meeting, with a touching of cheeks. This indicates familiarity rather than love.

ReferringtoothersFirst names shouldn’t be used with people you don’t know. It is polite and common to use their preferred titles of either ‘Mr’ (or ‘Pan’) and ‘Mrs’ (or ‘Pani’) followed by their first name and surname. It is also considered to be impolite if dropping professional titles such as Doctor. It is extremely important to use correct titles when dealing with a person who has dementia and may have reverted to their culture of origin naming protocols.

Gestures To point your index finger to one’s forehead is considered to be an insult.

EnteringaRoomWhen a women or host enters the room it is courteous to stand. It is also good etiquette to for a man to open the doors for women to allow them to enter first.

Attire Untidy or overly casual clothing is considered unsuitable to wear in public.

TaboosIt is considered rude to ask females about their age (e.g. ‘how old are you?’). Tact is also needed when discussing World War II and political issues relating to the 1945 – 1950s.

These customs are from a time when the older generation lived and were raised. They

may not be apparent in younger generations, nor do they automatically relate to every Polish-born aged person. It is important that you check the unique customs of the Polish person in your care.


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CulturalStereotype Poland-born people are known as easy-going and very friendly. They are willing to help others whenever possible. The Polish people are very hospitable. Being a guest in a Polish home generally means that you will be offered the best of everything. A guest is very warmly welcomed and the generosity can sometimes be overwhelming. Alcohol serves a culturally significant function, particularly during social events, such as name day, birthday, and New Year celebrations. The amount and strength of the alcohol consumed can sometimes be seen as excessive by non-Polish people. It is important to be punctual. It is regarded as bad manners to be late. Polish people can be tolerant of lateness depending on the status of the person they are waiting for. People are expected to be on time, even for social occasions. Poland-born people tend to have a great sense of humour. They like to share ideas and thoughts freely. Most Polish-born people enjoy the art of conversation, happily talking about their work, politics, health problems and misfortunes almost as much as Australians enjoy talking about things like football and sport. Polish heritage is also connected with high culture in terms of theatre, literature, art, concerts, and opera. Whilst identifying as Polish, each person also has a strong sense of regional cultural identity. There are various cultural and social differences between the 16 provinces of Poland. The person’s preferences related to such things as festivals, food, drink, music, dance, clothing and language dialect etc. will be impacted by the region in which that person lives. It is still important that you check the distinctive customs of the Polish person in your care.


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Family

Values A successful family life is a very important to Poland-born people. The father is generally the head of the family where often both parents work. The most popular family model is the 2 + 2 formula (mother, father and two children). Traditional family values and loyalty are strong in most Polish households. The elderly play an active role in helping adult children in their daily routine with

families. The extended family is also very important, however many aged Poland born persons

do not have extended family

AttitudestoResidentialCare Moving into residential care is seen as a last resort by elderly Polish people. It equates to losing

one’s independence. In-home support programs will be accessed to support and extend independence for as long as possible. Although it is a traditional expectation that the children will look after their parents requirements, those Polish who have lived in Australia for a number of years no longer hold this expectation.

However, as with any community, individual attitudes may vary, and some elderly may expect their offspring to take care of them and therefore be unwilling to accept placement in residential care.


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PersonalHygiene Schedules and choices surrounding the following personal hygiene activities greatly affect the person’s sense of self, pride, dignity and confidence.

Bathing Most Polish people prefer to shower daily, however there are no particular customs in bathing.

Dress Polish pride themselves in dressing well, even if they are only going grocery shopping. It is important to dress properly for all events. There are cultural customs surrounding standard of dress whereby sloppy or overly casual dress in public may be seen as inappropriate. Clothing also needs to be in good repair and ironed. What is considered ‘appropriate’ standard of dress is individual, but will be influenced by the region, in which he/she lived.

Grooming Men and women look after themselves and are concerned about how they look. Women will prefer to wear makeup, jewellery, nail polish, perfume and have neat hair, that is be well groomed. Men tend to use cologne/aftershave, clipping nasal and ear hair and trimming nails etc. It is important that the hygiene preferences of each person are established as part of the care planning process.


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LeisureandRecreation

The Polish people are active people who enjoy leisure activities such as:

Gardening Cinema Soccer Card games Reading Watching Television Attending concerts or theatre, listening to music and Visiting friends and family

Soccer is an extremely popular both as a spectator and participant. Sport is a very important leisure time activity. Socialising with friends has also become an enjoyable pastime.

The information above can be of assistance in developing an activities program for individuals e.g. tending potted flowers that are kept in the person’s room and /or a small box of vegetables kept in a communal area and /or cooking cakes or pastries, craft work and /or card, chess or board games. However, you will need to check with each individual for his or her preferences in regard to the above.

DailyRoutine Polish born people prefer a routine, for example, when he or she rises, retires, bathes etc. They usually have a structured pattern to the day and like sticking to these times. A routine needs to be established with each individual relating to their personal preference.


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Religion Most Polish belong to a church, even if they may not be regular attendees. The major religions amongst Polish born residents in Australia are Roman Catholic, Lutheran and Judaism. A small percentage of the persons belong to some non-Christian religions, or to no denomination. Catholicism has strong influences in Polish life and its culture. You need to establish each person’s religious preference and link them into a local minister of that religion. Important cultural and religious days can be found in the Multi-Cultural Events Calendar

FoodandDiet

Polish cuisine is very rich and very filling. It consists of soups, sauces and savoury meats that can be high in fat. Typical staples are: • Bread • Potatoes • Sausages • Vegetables • Fruit and • Milk Products Distinctive flavours include Marjoram, Dill, Leaf parsley, wild mushrooms, sauerkraut, beetroot, cucumbers, eggs and caraway seeds etc. On Fridays meat isn’t eaten instead it is replaced with fish. Traditional times for meals have changed over the years due to changing working hours.

Meals Breakfast

Usually includes bread rolls, or bread, butter, scrambled or boiled eggs, cheese, sliced ham or sausage.

Second breakfastServed around morning tea time, it is usually sandwiches made from rye bread topped with a variety of fillings (eg: cheese, sausages, and hearings – with tomatoes, lettuce etc. plus black tea or coffee.

LunchThis is the main meal and is called “Obiad”, which is eaten early in the afternoon (usually 2-3pm). A normal Obiad would consist of soup, the main course and also dessert.

DinnerOr supper time can consist of open sandwiches or hot food like soup (especially in winter), dumplings or sandwiches with cold meats.


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Afternoon tea

Afternoon tea may include sandwiches, pastries, and coffee. Snacks can include desserts and doughnuts or pickled vegetables. Some traditional Polish dishes include: • bigos (a rich sauerkraut and meat based dish) • golabki (cabbage rolls with rice and mince meat) • barszcz (beetroot soup), flaczki (tripe soup) • mizeria (cucumber, dill and cream salad) • nalesniki (pancakes) • dried or stewed fruit compote • a variety of yeast cakes and pastries It is important to establish each person’s diet preferences, culinary style (e.g. fried versus poached), quantity and timing of meals and recorded as part of their care plan.

Bread Cheeses Vegetables Meat / Fish Fruit Drinks Rye Sour Dough Wholemeal and Crusty bread rolls

A variety of yellow cheeses and white cottage cheese

Potato Cabbage Red cabbage Beetroot Beans Cauliflower Brussel sprouts Spinach Polish people like their vegetables well cooked.

Sausages Breaded Pork Cutlets Meatloaf Roasted Lamb Beef cutlets Fish (crumbed or battered)

Apples Mandarins Oranges Bananas

Coffee Tea Herbal Teas Mineral Water Water Fruit juice Special Occasions wine or beer, or for some a small glass of Vodka

FoodSources Most of the larger food chains are now carrying Polish foods as well as many other cultures. You should check out what is available at these larger chains.


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Health

Trauma Polish born aged people have lived through a very traumatic time arising from not just the experience of World War II but also from the years post war when times were very tough, this can never be forgotten. It is likely that many families were split up and relocated to areas thought to be safer than larger towns. Tact is required to uncover if there are any issues in this regard.

AttitudestoIllnessandPain Polish people are often stoic about pain but will seek medical attention if symptoms persist, while others will seek assistance as soon as symptoms develop. Pain relieving drugs are generally accepted. Polish people also desire to learn as much as possible about any side effects of any medications. Complementary medicines are also accepted and play an integral part in the health of Polish people.

PerceptionsofHealthProfessionals Attending to health professionals is normal and Polish-born persons are used to the medical hierarchy (i.e. General practitioners for overall health with referral to Specialists as needed for more thorough treatment). These persons are viewed as professionals and will be treated respectfully by the patient.

Polish people are polite to professionals and authority figures and may not ask a doctor for clarification concerned that doing so may offend the doctor.

This may mean YOU shouldn’t perceive a Polish person who questions a doctor or health professional as being difficult. Nor should you consider the person as ‘being difficult’ should he/she want a second opinion or to access complementary medicines or some type.


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DeathandDying

PalliativeCare It is possible that Polish born elderly people will be unaware that such a service exists or what it involves. If the person does know something about palliative care he or she has most likely learnt about it whilst being a resident in Australia. If the Polish person was diagnosed with a terminal illness it was convey to the family and not the ill person. The family would then decide how and when (if at all) to inform the ill person. At times it was decided not to tell the person he/she had a terminal illness, so they did not lose their will to live. Family members and friends stay with the dying person so that he/she doesn’t feel abandoned.

DeathandDying For Poland-born Catholics, religious rituals include the administration of Holy Communion and the Last Rites. Funeral customs are determined by the Church and the wishes of the family. After burial, mourners are invited for a wake or ‘stypa’ where drinks and food are served in memory of the person. Most Poland-born people have a stoic acceptance of death as part of the life process, and a strong sense of loyalty and respect for their loves ones. Relatives also wear black clothing on the day of the burial. The spouse may choose to wear black clothes for up to 1 year (the year of mourning). Graves of loved ones are visited for years to come, particularly on All Saint Day – 1st November, when flowers and candles are placed on the graves. Cremations or burials are a personal choice based more on religious beliefs.

It is important to establish each person’s wishes in the event of palliative care or death and recorded as part of the person’s care plan.


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LanguageThe official language is Polish with each region having its own dialect, which can be more pronounced, in rural areas. Because many of the elderly Poland-born persons have been in Australia for many years, they also speak English.

YOU need to be aware that just because they could once speak English, does not mean a) They necessarily spoke it fluently or extensively OR b) They have retained these skills as he/she aged OR c) That it is their preferred language. Speaking English can be tiring to the elderly – as they are engaging in a translation-type of process. Many elderly people revert back to their native language as they aged.

CueCardsQuality Aging has cue cards that you may find useful and assist you in communicating with a person that speaks a language other than English.


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Disclaimer The information herein is a synthesis of information from a range of sources believed to be reliable. Quality Aging gives no warranty that the said base sources are correct, and accepts no responsibility for any resultant errors contained herein or for decisions and actions taken as a result and any damage from these decisions or actions.

References http://diversicare.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Polish.pdf http://www.europe-cities.com/en/667/poland/useful-phrases/ http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/ http://www.mapzones.com/world/europe/poland/cultureindex.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland

Documents

Cultural Profile Resource Manual- Polish - Quality Aging · 2020. 7. 6. · • barszcz (beetroot soup), flaczki (tripe soup) • mizeria (cucumber, dill and cream salad) • nalesniki