"As people from different cultural groups take on the exciting challenge of
working together, cultural values sometimes conflict. We can misunderstand
each other, and react in ways that can hinder what are otherwise promising
partnerships. Oftentimes, we aren't aware that culture is acting upon us.
Sometimes, we are not even aware that we have cultural values or
assumptions that are different from others!"

— Marcell E. DuPraw and Marya Axner, Working on Common Cross-Cultural
Communication Challenges

• Achieving Cultural Competence: A Guidebook for Providers of Services
  to Older Americans and Their Families (Administration on Aging, 2001) www.aoa.gov/prof/adddiv/cultural/CC-guidebook.pdf
• Cultural Competency: Basic Concepts and Definitions (University of
  Michigan Health System Program for Multicultural Health, n.d.) www.med.umich.edu/multicultural/ccp/basic.htm#whatiscc
• Guidelines for Culturally Competent Organizations (Minnesota
  Department of Human Services, 2004) www.dhs.state.mn.us/main/groups/agencywide/documents/pub/
  DHS_id_016415.hcsp
• Guidelines for Culturally and/or Linguistically Competent Agencies
  (Administration on Aging, n.d.) www.aoa.gov/prof/adddiv/progmod/addiv_progmod_section_two.asp

Suggested Reading

• Cultural Competence in the Aging Network: Creating a Vision,
  Developing Strategies and Identifying Resources for Success (National
  Aging Information & Referral Support Center, 2005)
• Cultural Competency: How Is It Measured? Does It Make a Difference?:
  Research Brief #8 (National Association of State Units on Aging, 2004)
• Cultural Competency Program Models: Culturally and/or Linguistically
  Competent Agencies and Organizations (Administration on Aging, n.d.) www.aoa.gov/prof/adddiv/progmod/addiv_progmod_section_one.asp
• Issues of Race, Ethnicity, and Culture in Caregiving Research: A 20-Year
  Review (1980-2000): Research Brief # 9 (National Association of State
  Units on Aging, 2004)
• Reaching Out to Elderly Minorities, Immigrants, and Refugees: A Web
  based Seminar to Assist Senior Medicare Patrols in Educating and
  Reaching Out to Diverse Older Populations (National Consumer
  Protection Technical Resource Center, n.d.) http://smpresource.org/eSeries/Content/ahqaNavigationMenu/ SMPResources/SpecialPopulations/Outreach_Web_Seminar.htm
• Social Policy Issues and Concerns in a Diverse Aging Society:
  Implications of Increasing Diversity: Research Brief # 7 (National
  Association of State Units on Aging, 2004)
• Strategies for Cultural Assessment (Massachusetts Legal Services
  Diversity Coalition, n.d.) www.diversitycoalition.org/cultural_competence
• UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (Office of the
  United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, 2001) www.ohchr.org/english/law/diversity.htm
• What Is Cultural and Linguistic Competence? (Agency for Healthcare
  Research and Quality, 2003) www.ahrq.gov/about/cods/cultcompdef.htm
• Working on Common Cross Cultural Challenges (Study Circles Resource
  Center and A More Perfect Union, 1997) www.wwcd.org/action/ampu/
  crosscult.html

Additional Information

• Culture and Domestic Violence (University of Michigan Health System
  Program for Multicultural Health, n.d.) www.med.umich.edu/multicultural/
  ccp/cdv.htm%20
• Gender, Race, and Class: Induring Inequities in Later Life. A North
  Carolina Perspective (University of North Carolina Institute on Aging,
  2005) www.aging.unc.edu/infocenter/resources/2005/grc2005update.pdf
• National Center on Cultural Competence
  www.gucdc.georgetown.edu/nccc
• Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Health of Older Americans
  (National Academies Press, 1997) www.nap.edu/books/0309054893/
  html/index.html
• 65+ in the United States: 2005 (National Institute on Aging and U.S.
  Census Bureau, 2005) www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/
  age.html#elderly