What hospice teams don’t know can hurt their patients.  End of life professionals who are ignorant of different cultures or faiths can damage the care of seriously ill patients and their families. 

Dying Matters, an organization in the U.K., has a great video that can help you to learn about the death customs and beliefs of the Muslim faith. Dying Matters describes itself as “a coalition of individual and organisational members across England and Wales, which aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.” 

You can find their video “I Didn’t Know That” on their website.  It depicts the death of a young Muslim man and how healthcare workers struggle to care for his parents after the event.  At just over 18 minutes long, the film is a great way to train your hospice interdisciplinary team about Muslim customs observed during a death.  Think you already know? Check out the film to see just how accurate your knowledge is.

If you’re interested in more ways to connect with hospice resources, visit theheartofhospice.com.  You’ll find information on basic hospice philosophy and how the modern hospice movement was started.  Stay connected with us by subscribing on the website.  No matter who you are or where you are in your hospice journey, you are The Heart of Hospice!