| | | |
 |
     
|
Care
Page · Meet with a Hmong interpreter or cultural advisor who speaks Hmong, before visiting with a Hmong client. Clients who smile and nod may not understand you—arrange to have an interpreter there. · The best way to help an adult Hmong client is to understand his/her past and present issues; Work with clan members/leaders; Know the Hmong value system—group based rather than individual based; organized by hierarchical rather than egalitarian; respect is valued rather than self assertion; role fulfillment and obligation are expected rather than personal development and achievement; cooperation instead of competition. · Understand your Hmong client’s traditional views on illness. · Always ask the cultural identity of each Southeast Asian. Even Southeast Asians cannot always identify each other’s culture without asking and it is less offensive to ask than to incorrectly identify them. Hmong are from Laos. · Educate Hmong as needed about habits, customs and values of American culture, e.g. educate clan leaders on existing laws. However, indirect communication is more respectful than direct confrontation. Hmong elders may take offense if you tell them they are wrong. Suggesting alternatives or different ideas without saying their opinions or practices are wrong will be regarded as more polite. · Service providers must proceed cautiously in order to develop trust and to understand the nature of Hmong family relationships. Clients who seem ill at ease may have some misunderstanding about the purpose of your visit. Explain why you need information to put people at ease. · Service providers’ support of Hmong clan leaders will facilitate communication, mutual respect and understanding within the Hmong community. · Regular on-going meetings with clan leaders and family members will help facilitate problem solving. Be sensitive to the existing cultural beliefs and the function of the clan system. Demonstrate cultural empathy/sensitivity. · Failure to approach the Hmong through clan leadership may result in problems for both service providers and the clients. Family is a strong influence on culture. Families are typically large and include extended family members. · Solutions to problems should be family focused as well as focused on the individual. Continue to ask the client for input on issues throughout discussions as individual practices may vary greatly. Adaptations to U.S. culture as well as enduring harsh living conditions and being uprooted several times may cause variances and it is difficult to predict cultural behaviors. · Listen and be supportive. Spend time during a visit being cheerful, patient and non-aggressive. Give lots of encouragement. Learn and use a few Hmong phrases. Trust can be developed by initially relating to a client on a peer or friendship basis. Improve your personal relationship with Hmong. · Avoid too much direct eye contact when talking as it may seem disrespectful and may make some Hmong elders feel uncomfortable. Do not touch the head of any Hmong adult or child. It is considered the most sacred part of the body. Do not point with your feet, step over someone else’s feet, show the bottoms of your shoes or step in front of a Hmong person, as these actions are considered offensive. · Do not signal using an upturned finger, especially the index finger as some may use this type of gesture to call animals. Do not point at any Hmong person, as this is considered aggressive and threatening. Do not touch the back, or shoulder as in putting a hand or arm on his/her shoulder. For many adults, male-female touching, including shaking hands, is considered inappropriate. · Be respectful when addressing a Hmong client. Older family members are greatly respected and should be addressed first when speaking. The father is the head of the household and major decision maker. The mother is responsible for managing the household and any inferences that she is doing something wrong may cause loss of self-respect. When counseling, suggest alternative practices and offer much positive reinforcement. She may not implement suggestions if they are different from suggestions made by older household members or their husbands. Discussing an issue with the family, writing down information for those who read, may be helpful. · If a Hmong man is addressing a Hmong male who is older than he is, he will refer to him as “brother” or “uncle”. Initially address clients using appropriate title (Mrs., Mr., Ms.) and their first name, and then ask the proper way to address them. · Be flexible and move slowly and respectfully when dealing with a Hmong client. Communication is often influenced by belief that disagreement is improper and disrespectful. Many may indicate agreement to prevent disharmony or to please the questioner. They may also not ask questions when given the opportunity, as that is perceived as disrespectful. “Yes” may mean, yes, I hear you, rather than agreement. To ascertain agreement you may have to rephrase questions to require responses or offer choices. The tips in this Care Page were compiled in part from notes and discussions with Seng Yang and Koua Vang, and other staff at Neighborhood House, a social service agency in St Paul serving Hmong and other populations. www.neighb.org; from Donna Lee at the Women’s Association of Hmong and Lao, Inc. www.wahlwomen.org WAHL's Elderly program is for Hmong elders in Ramsey County. Founded in 1984, WAHL has continuously provided elders with the opportunity to increase their knowledge and understanding of the American culture; and from Nancy Schafer, Wingspan Life Resources—a non-profit social service agency that hosts Tsev Laus Kaj Siab, an adult day center for Hmong located at 948 Rice Street, St. Paul, MN Phone: 612-824-3036.
|
