RELIGIOUS NEEDS OF PATIENTS DURING DYING & AFTER DEATH Reference: Sydney West Area Health Service - Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy Services.

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1 RELIGIOUS NEEDS OF PATIENTS DURING DYING & AFTER DEATH Reference: Sydney West Area Health Service - Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy Services. Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander The communities, clans and groups throughout Australia differ considerably in ceremonies and practices related to sickness and death. It is therefore imperative that each case be treated separately. In order to establish the particular customs, the next-of-kin should be contacted for directions. It is most important that Aboriginal patients understand the nature of their illness and treatment. An interpreter may be necessary. Buddhist Sickness Visiting the sick is very important to Aboriginal people. The patient needs the presence of family and friends. If family and friends cannot be contacted, the Aboriginal Chaplains should be asked to call. Often, relatives will have come long distances and made great sacrifices in order to be present they will be grateful for permission to sit silently with a patient during rest time and at night. Patients from traditional or tribal situation may look for "alternative" forms of therapy. These should be treated with respect - in some situations, they can be very effective. A single room and a few minutes privacy should be considered if traditional ceremonies are to be held. Death & Dying When an Aboriginal person is dying, it is the custom that many members of the extended family and friends will want to come to pay their respects, and stay until death. A single room is helpful at this time. Sometimes the family will ask to have the patient returned to their spiritual land for their last days. Autopsy: Unacceptable - unless coronial. Cremation: Unacceptable. Organ Donation: Generally unacceptable. Organ Reception: Generally unacceptable. The next-of-kin should be notified by the doctor as soon as possible. This will allow the family to notify a Buddhist minister or monk of the same school of Buddhism, if this is their wish. Sickness: No special needs. Death & Dying: Some practising Buddhists may refuse ALL medication at the end so that they can retain full awareness, irrespective of pain, at the moment of their death. This should be allowed.

2 Autopsy: Acceptable. Cremation: Preferable. Organ Donation: Individual decision. Organ Reception: Individual decision. Hindu Sickness: Wearing of an auspicious ring, medal or necklace is common practice and Hindus may not wish to part from such items under any circumstances. Dietary and fasting needs should also be ascertained and respected. Death & Dying: The family must be contacted as soon as possible by the doctor involved. The doctor involved will counsel the family. It is of extra importance that disposable gloves are worn whilst preparing the body for the Coroner. The family may be distressed if the body is touched by non-hindus. The body is not washed. (Washing is part of the funeral rites and will be performed by relatives later). The eyes are closed and the limbs straightened. Religious objects, jewellery or 'sacred threads' should not be removed until the funeral rites are performed. The body is wrapped as per usual procedure. The body is preferably cremated within 24 hours of death. Therefore, the doctor involved must inform the Coroner s Office that the patient is Hindu. This may facilitate the early release of the body for cremation. Autopsy: Disliked, though permissible. Cremation: Preferable. Organ Donation: Acceptable. Organ Reception: Acceptable.

3 Jewish Orthodox [Note: Please try to determine if Orthodox or of the Progressive Jewish (Liberal) tradition, so proper procedure can be followed.) Sickness: The following rites and customs are observed to quite varying degrees by Orthodox Jews. Please respect the patient's need for prayer time, ritual washing and fasting. Sabbath (Saturday) and Jewish Festivals begin at dusk of the preceding day and last until the following day after dark. During this time observant Jewish patients will refrain from doing prohibited 'works' (e.g., turning a light switch on/off, answering the phone, writing, even pressing the call button). Since travelling this day is also forbidden, except on foot, discharge from hospital would be most inconvenient. Relatives, similarly, may not be able to visit on the Sabbath or any Holy Day. If, however, it is felt that the presence of relatives with the patient will be beneficial, it would be advisable to make arrangements before the Sabbath to accommodate this, as it may be difficult to contact the relatives by telephone on the Sabbath itself. Diet: Please enquire as to whether the patient requires a kosher food diet, if so, this may be arranged through Food Services. Dying: During the last minutes of life, no-one in the presence of the deceased may leave, excepting those whose emotions are uncontrollable, or the physically ill. It is a matter of the greatest respect to watch over a person as he/she passes from this world into the next. If it is felt that death is imminent, the patient's family should be asked if they would like a visit from the Orthodox Rabbi. It must be pointed out that appropriate prayers are recited before death. There are no last rites after death in the Jewish tradition. Death: With the family's permission the Jewish Burial Society (Chevra Kadisha), should be contacted immediately to enable funeral proceedings to commence. The Society provides a 24-hour service, phone , or on Saturday or Jewish Holidays After death has been determined, the eyes and the mouth of the deceased must be closed, preferably by the children or other family members. 2. The position of the body should be so orientated that the feet face the doorway if possible. 3. The deceased should not be touched or moved except for matters of dignity, such as: Straighten the body if it is found in an awkward position. Adjust the bed so the body remains flat. Place the arms beside the body. Remove the pillow from under the head.

4 Cover the face with a top sheet. Do not wash the body or wrap in plastic as this is unnecessary and causes delays in being able to remove the deceased. Remove all hospital and medical apparatus from the body. If this would lead to considerable loss of blood, they may be left in place. 1. It is a matter of importance for Orthodox Jews to be buried as soon as possible after death. Therefore, doctors should write the Death Certificate immediately after death to facilitate the early removal of the body from the hospital and, if appropriate, inform the Coroner's Office that the patient is Jewish. 2. When parts of the body are removed for surgical reasons (e.g. limbs and organs) such parts of the body must be retained and the Jewish Burial Society, Chevra Kadisha, informed immediately and, in addition, consulted where there is any doubt. Under such circumstances, the patient or family should not be disturbed on these matters. Autopsy: Unacceptable unless coronial. Embalming: Unacceptable. Cremation: Unacceptable. Organ Donation: Generally unacceptable. Organ Reception: Where such transplantation would possibly extend the life of the patient, it is not only acceptable, but advisable. Jewish Progressive (Liberal) [Note: Please try to determine if the patient is Orthodox or of the Progressive tradition, so proper procedure can be followed.] Sickness: Please respect the patient's possible need for prayer time and fasting. However, please ensure fasting has been permitted by patient's doctor. Please inquire whether the patient wants or requires a kosher food diet. Dying: The patient's family should be asked if they would like the Progressive Jewish Rabbi to visit. Death: Progressive Jewish: (Note Please determine if the family wishes to use the Chevra Kadisha or not. If they have, see Jewish Orthodox section for requirements). With the family's permission, contact Chevra Kaddish ( , or on Saturday or Jewish Holidays ) or a Funeral Director to enable funeral proceedings to commence. They will contact the Rabbi and make other necessary arrangements. This is a 24-hour service.

5 After death has been determined, the eyes and the mouth of the deceased must be closed. The deceased should only be handled if it is for the deceased's honour, such as: Straighten the body if it is found in an awkward position. Adjust the bed so the body remains flat. Remove the pillows from under the head. Cover the face with a top sheet. It is not necessary to wrap in plastic as this causes delays in being able to remove the deceased. It is a matter of importance for Jews to be buried soon after death. Therefore: When parts of the body are removed for surgical reasons (e.g. Limbs and organs) such parts of the body must be retained and the Rabbi informed immediately and, in addition, consulted where there is any doubt. Under such circumstances, the patient or family should not be disturbed on these matters. Doctors should write the Death Certificate immediately after death to facilitate the early removal of the body from the hospital, and if appropriate, inform the Coroner s Office that the patient is Jewish. Autopsy: Acceptable. Cremation: Acceptable. Organ Donation: Acceptable. Organ Reception: Acceptable. Muslim Sickness: Please respect the patient's need for dress code, prayer time, ritual washing and dietary requirements. Personal modesty and the preference that caregiver be of the same gender as the patient. Diet: Please enquire to ascertain the patient s dietary requirements. All pork and bacon products are forbidden. Alcohol and other intoxicating substances are also prohibited. If a Muslim person is ill they are exempted from fasting during Ramadan. Dying: The patient or family may like an Imam or Muslim Chaplain to visit. A Chaplain can be contacted via Switchboard.

6 Please respect the desire of relatives who may wish quietly to recite the Quran or prayers. Dying patients should be laid either on their right side facing the Kabah (i.e. North West in Sydney) or on their back with the feet towards the North West and the head slightly raised on a pillow so to be facing North West. Death: The main emphasis at death is in respect for the body. Male care givers should handle male bodies, and female care givers should handle female bodies. The body should be handled as little as possible. The face together with the whole body must be covered by a sheet. The dead body should at no time be stripped naked, even in the mortuary. Since Muslims believe in burial as soon as possible after death, doctors should write the Death Certificate immediately after death to facilitate removal of the body from the hospital, and if appropriate inform the Coroner s office that the patient is a Muslim. Autopsy: Unacceptable - unless coronial. Cremation: Unacceptable. Organ Donation: Can be acceptable. Organ Reception: Can be acceptable.