Essay On Filipino Family In The Philippines

I culturally identify as an Asian-American, and more specifically, a Filipino-American. My other primary cultural characteristic includes being a 21-year-old male, who practices Christianity. My religion is specifically called Seventh-day Adventist. As for secondary cultural characteristics, I am a middle-class, US citizen, who is a graduate student currently studying physical therapy. Filipinos place an importance on families. Children are usually allowed to stay in their parent’s home as long as they need to, even after finishing school (“Family Traits,” 2006). Most stay at least before they get married, or even stay after marriage to look after their aging parents. Many Asian households are seen to be multigenerational. Respect and love

The patient should be addressed as Miss, Mrs., or Mr., or else calling them by the first name can be considered being too familiar with an older person (McBride, 2002). An informal conversation about grandchildren or children can often put a Filipino elder at ease since the clinician can be seen as a person the elder can relate to, rather than an authoritative figure. Respect for elders is a characteristic that Filipino families take seriously as it is brought up from when they were children. Lastly, many Filipino elders are proficient in their ability to read, write, and speak English. If they are asked for an interpreter, they can find this rather insulting (McBride,

Nonverbal communication is important, as Native Americans are comfortable with long periods of silence (Flowers, 2005). This is since they take time to carefully consider and think what they want to say before speaking. They are also reluctant about expressing pain. Healthcare providers should be alert to nonverbal cues and physiological indicators of pain. These can include grimacing, becoming immobile, becoming restless, muscle tension, tachycardia, increased blood pressure, or sweating (Flowers,