A ritual refers to the standardized form of behavior in which the observer does not interpret the acts being performed as empirical evidence to the goals that the performer proclaimed (Leming & Dickinson, 2010). When performing rituals, the aim is to convey information to the observer while the performer gathers information. In the United States, the medical model seeks to illustrate the concept that when a person gets sick, he/she goes to the doctor to receive treatment. According to Leming and Dickinson (2010), in a situation when the person is terminally ill, then it is impossible for the physician to make him/her well. Therefore, since the medical approach focuses on treating a person, dying does not fit the model, and that is why terminally ill patients are often avoided. Regarding the medical model of death and dying being regarded as a type of ritual, physicians, and other healthcare professionals always do what they could to prolong the life of the patient. When a person is in an acute care system, and the end comes, part of the physician’s ritual narrative of dying would be that they used the most powerful medical equipment and antibiotics to prolong the life of the patient.

Death is a universal experience; however, in America, there has been dramatic changes in the way people die. Most deaths in the United States in the early 21^st century have been due to chronic diseases (Carr, 2012). People die after experiencing painful illnesses. The final days of the dying person are always spent in nursing homes or hospitals, and life-sustaining technologies are often used to prolong their life. Since the dying process usually occurs in late life, the dying person may choose to declare and preserve their identity by using formal advance care planning strategies. With this approach, the dying person and family members make decisions regarding the type of care, site, and time they would like to get after the person dies. Second, the dying person may choose to use both private and public strategies. Citing Carr (2012), the dying person works with family members to plan legacies and memorials. Conversely, in Nigeria, the cultural interpretation of death is based on the triple heritage that includes Christianity, Islam and the traditional African belief system. Nigerians always place death within the perspective of religion (Eyetsemitan, 2011). Religion provides meaning to problems that death creates. Regarding the issue of preparing for death, the process could either take a formal or informal approach. In a situation when one dies from a brief illness, it is always hard to conclude the problem of inheritance.

Americans can learn from the Non-Western societies such as Nigeria and India. For instance, they can learn from Buddhist beliefs and practices since they dwell much on religion. Buddhists observe specific rituals at the time of dying and when handing the body of the deceased. They believe that the corpse must be bathed, oiled and dressed in new attires. Moreover, according to a Buddhist, the time a person dies is important since it is a transition to the next life. Therefore, American should respect the time of death by devoting religious practices. Respecting the spiritual belief of the dying person is significant. For instance, when preparing for death, silent or spoken prayers may be helpful. When one is sick or dying, a quiet or peaceful atmosphere is appropriate for practicing meditation and prayer as well as allowing the sick person to rest better.

References

Carr, D. (2012). Death and dying in the contemporary United States: What are the psychological implications of anticipated death? Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6(2), 184-195.

Eyetsemitan, F. (2011). Cultural Interpretation of Dying and Death in a Non-Western Society: The Case of Nigeria. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 10(3), 1-10.

Leming, M. R., & Dickinson, G. E. (2010). Understanding dying, death, and bereavement. Cengage Learning.

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