The Filipino elder: implications for nursing practice. Knowledge of heritage essential

1. Ethnic identity is an important variable in health promotion and care. Knowledge of cultural heritage is necessary to assess the unique needs of the individual. 2. Culture affects how one perceives and defines the meaning of illness. In turn, the way in which one defines the meaning of an illness will influence the expectations of both caregivers and clients within the nurse-client relationship. 3. Broadening our understanding of a diverse ethnic population is central to the concept of transcultural nursing. The importance of understanding differences in cultural heritage cannot be ignored by the nurse who cares for a new elderly Filipino immigrant.