Catastrophic events and older adults.

The plight of older adults during catastrophic events is a societal concern. Older persons have an increased prevalence of cognitive disorders, chronic illnesses, and mobility problems that limit their ability to cope. These disorders may result in a lack of mental capacity and the ability to discern when they should evacuate or resolve problems encountered during a catastrophe.

Perspectives on transcultural care.

Culture has been defined as the thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups. A culture of nursing refers to the learned and transmitted lifeways, values, symbols, patterns, and normative practices of members of the nursing profession of a particular society. To serve the unique and diverse needs of patients in the United States, it is imperative that nurses understand the importance of cultural differences by valuing, incorporating, and examining their own health-related values and beliefs and those of their health care organizations, for only then can they support the principle of respect for persons and the ideal of transcultural care.