As noted above, Mr. Figueroa is originally from Puerto Rico. While his English is quite good, and relatively unaccented, Puerto Rican Spanish was his first language, and he lived in Puerto Rico, eating traditional foods and engaging in traditional rituals and festivals, until young adulthood. At present, he lives in a neighborhood that has a large population of people from Puerto Rico (although it is not an exclusively Puerto Rican community). In addition, he goes to the Hispanic Senior Center most weekdays.

What are some of the factors in Mr. Figueroa's situation that might be influenced by his cultural background?

Diet

Religious observance

Family patterns

Gender role expectations

Health beliefs, behaviors

Language

To learn more about Puerto Rican culture, click here:

http://www.prboriken.com/culture.htm

http://www.elboricua.com/

http://www.icp.gobierno.pr

To learn more about cultural competence for helath professionals who are dealing with the needs of older adults, please click on the link here:

http://www.nethealthinc.com/cultural/index.asp

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