At the end of life, cultural norms and miscommunications can complicate care. For example, a traditional Korean father must live with his oldest son’s family, even if that family is unable to care for the father’s Alzheimer’s Disease. A terminally ill Hispanic may not understand his predicament when an English-speaking doctor recommends hospice or palliative care. And a Native American receiving palliative care may not be washed adequately because of cultural taboos, or may not receive visits from friends and family who cannot afford to bring the gifts the culture requires.

About Us

In February 2002, ALTA an Hispanic and Africa-American owned company was selected by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to NRCD is an information and technical assistance to spearhead the National Resource Center on Diversity in End-of-Life Care (NRCD). ALTA brings years of experience in developing strategies and programs to reach and engage diverse communities.

NRCD is an information and technical assistance resource for coalitions and community leaders reaching out to diverse populations. We provide information, materials, training and networking opportunities to improve end-of-life care for Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans and others.  NRCD works with coalitions and community-based organizations around the country to strengthen local efforts to reach minority audiences.  We support community awareness efforts that explain how to reach diverse communities and encourage the development of community-based end-of-life care programs that are sensitive to a community’s multiracial and multicultural members.

A central theme of NRCD is that health care systems and caregivers need to respect and respond to the cultural context of the terminally ill. NRCD provides information to healthcare professionals so that they understand and recommend care options that support compassionate care at the end of life.

Hospital and hospice workers, home health-care aides, clergy and social workers are at the front lines of service delivery at the end-of life.  Professional caregivers should have the cultural competencies that engender trust so that cultural misunderstandings between the caregiver and the patient and family regarding end-of-life beliefs and rituals will not cause pain. NRCD is working both to improve the cultural competency of caregivers and to educate diverse populations about the options available to them at the end of life. 

For more information, contact us toll free at 1-866-670-6723.

NRCD Staff & Advisory Committee Directory

NRCD Advisory Committee Biographical Summaries