Lao Buddhist Case StoryLao Buddhist Case StoryUNIITE’s “UNIITE’s “Health Care and Health Care and

World ReligionsWorld Religions” series” seriesPhase BPhase B

Lao Buddhist Case Story:Lao Buddhist Case Story:A 73-year old maleA 73-year old male

presented bypresented byMalcolm NazarethMalcolm Nazareth

Malcolm NazarethMalcolm NazarethCase Story presenter’s profileCase Story presenter’s profile

--Husband of Mariani Nazareth--Co-founder and executive director, UNIITE--Married Roman Catholic priest, serving at St. Mary Community Catholic Church, Harding, MN--part time faculty, St. Cloud State University--Ph.D. in Religion (Temple University, Philadelphia, PA), August ’98--Hospital chaplaincy training, V.A. Medical Center, St. Cloud, MN, ’99-’01--Recipient of Anthony Soto Award, July ’06, Rock Island, IL--Many decades’ experience in India and USAas teacher in numerous settings, and facilitator of dialogues between diverse faiths and cultures--Living and serving in Upper Midwest since ’98

Lao Buddhist Case Story Lao Buddhist Case Story (1)(1)Male, age Male, age 7373Living with 69-year old wife in Living with 69-year old wife in St. Cloud for St. Cloud for more than 25 yearsmore than 25 yearsServed in Served in Royal Lao armyRoyal Lao army before before the Pathet Lao (communist) took the Pathet Lao (communist) took over Laosover LaosForced to live for several years Forced to live for several years in a in a refugee camprefugee camp in neighboring in neighboring ThailandThailand

Lao Buddhist Case Story Lao Buddhist Case Story (2)(2)In ’79, moved with In ’79, moved with wife and 3 wife and 3 survivingsurviving kids to Ohio kids to OhioIn ’80, finally ended up in In ’80, finally ended up in St. CloudSt. Cloud, , MN, where they MN, where they raised and raised and educated their kidseducated their kidsIn ’98, just before he retired, the In ’98, just before he retired, the couple took a couple took a loanloan and and purchased purchased their first home their first home

Lao Buddhist Case Story Lao Buddhist Case Story (3)(3)TwoTwo of the couple’s children married Lao of the couple’s children married Lao Buddhist spouses and Buddhist spouses and settled in the St. settled in the St. Cloud areaCloud areaOne son is a “One son is a “black sheepblack sheep,” per Lao ,” per Lao Buddhist expectations, and is on his ownBuddhist expectations, and is on his ownMy info about the Lao senior male My info about the Lao senior male subject is from this “unfavored” son—subject is from this “unfavored” son—II have have never met the subject in personnever met the subject in person

Lao Buddhist Case Story Lao Buddhist Case Story (4)(4)Our 73-year old Lao Buddhist Our 73-year old Lao Buddhist male has male has never visited a clinic never visited a clinic or hospitalor hospital during all of his during all of his decades in the USAdecades in the USAHis family worries about him His family worries about him because he simply because he simply refuses to refuses to take western medicinetake western medicine

Subject’s unfavored son says Subject’s unfavored son says (1)(1)Father Father hasn’t ever been hasn’t ever been “sociable”“sociable” (unlike mom) (unlike mom)From his early 60s, father has From his early 60s, father has seemed seemed “clinically depressed”“clinically depressed”Ever since parents moved into Ever since parents moved into their “new home,” father’s their “new home,” father’s isolation and depression have isolation and depression have become become more noticeablemore noticeable

Subject’s unfavored son says Subject’s unfavored son says (2)(2)Father used to drive, but, ever Father used to drive, but, ever since retirement, hates to use since retirement, hates to use his car; his car; mom drives himmom drives him when he when he simply has to go somewheresimply has to go somewhereFather Father uninteresteduninterested in in meetingmeeting non- family members, or other non- family members, or other Lao community membersLao community membersFather Father doesn’t attenddoesn’t attend even Lao even Lao community community celebrationscelebrations

Subject’s unfavored son says Subject’s unfavored son says (3)(3)Father Father hashas health issues, but health issues, but nono primary health physicianprimary health physicianHe consistently He consistently rejects/resistsrejects/resists any suggestion that he should go any suggestion that he should go visit a clinicvisit a clinicWhen ill, he has recourse to When ill, he has recourse to

a) a) herbal remediesherbal remedies from from “back home in “back home in LaosLaos” and ” and

b) b) Buddha-offeringsBuddha-offerings

Subject’s unfavored son says Subject’s unfavored son says (4)(4)Father “carries Father “carries a bowl of watera bowl of water outside the buildingoutside the building““He sets down the bowl, joins the He sets down the bowl, joins the palms of his hands and closes his palms of his hands and closes his eyes for a few minutes—in eyes for a few minutes—in meditationmeditation““His lips move as he devoutly says his His lips move as he devoutly says his prayersprayers. . ““He then raises the bowl of water He then raises the bowl of water skyward to the Buddhaskyward to the Buddha ““He He sets it downsets it down and returns to the and returns to the house”house”

Theravada Buddhist “prayer”Theravada Buddhist “prayer” an examplean example

BuddhamBuddham saranam gachhami saranam gachhamiI go to the I go to the BuddhaBuddha for refuge for refuge

DhammamDhammam saranam gacchami saranam gacchami I pay homage to the I pay homage to the Eightfold Eightfold

Path Path SanghamSangham saranam gachhami saranam gachhami

I take refuge in the I take refuge in the (Buddhist) (Buddhist) communitycommunity

Barriers to health careBarriers to health careLanguageLanguage? (Not really; children ? (Not really; children help out; Bridge World Language help out; Bridge World Language interpreters . . .)interpreters . . .)CostCost? (Not necessarily; Medicare, ? (Not necessarily; Medicare, Medicaid, Mid-Minnesota Family Medicaid, Mid-Minnesota Family Practice Center, Project H.E.A.L.)Practice Center, Project H.E.A.L.)AliennessAlienness of western health care of western health care system? system? ProbablyProbably . . . . . .

Alienness of western health care Alienness of western health care system? system? ProbablyProbably . . . . . . (1)(1)

Back in Laos, for decades, our Lao Back in Laos, for decades, our Lao senior was senior was accustomedaccustomed to Lao to Lao native healing traditions and to a native healing traditions and to a society with its society with its well integrated well integrated religion and culturereligion and cultureThere, he also had a choice of There, he also had a choice of visiting some visiting some Lao physiciansLao physicians (trained in (trained in westernwestern medicine) who medicine) who were were farfar more affordablemore affordable than here than here

Alienness of western health care Alienness of western health care system? system? ProbablyProbably . . . . . . (2)(2)

If, in St. Cloud, one can use an If, in St. Cloud, one can use an effective “home remedyeffective “home remedy” (herbs, ” (herbs, spices, teas) put together with spices, teas) put together with natural products available at the natural products available at the local Viet Tien Market or even at local Viet Tien Market or even at Coborns, Cashwise, or Cub Foods, Coborns, Cashwise, or Cub Foods, whywhy would one prefer a would one prefer a terribly terribly expensive routeexpensive route (western (western medicine) with its potentially medicine) with its potentially deadly side effectsdeadly side effects??

Questions worth posing:Questions worth posing:What What factorfactor lends itself (or lends itself (or leads leads most) to healing? most) to healing? Is it chemicals? Is it drugs? Is it chemicals? Is it drugs? Is it sophisticated western Is it sophisticated western medical knowledge acquired by medical knowledge acquired by your typical biomedical your typical biomedical specialist? specialist? Is it some type of aura around a Is it some type of aura around a hospital building?hospital building?

What exactly is our subject’s issue?What exactly is our subject’s issue?(1)(1)

Is our 73-year old Lao male Is our 73-year old Lao male “mentally “mentally ill”?ill”? (He’s clinically depressed, probably (He’s clinically depressed, probably due to due to -isolation from community, -isolation from community, -haunting memories of war and -haunting memories of war and of of dislocated refugee-camp life)dislocated refugee-camp life)Is he Is he culturallyculturally alienated? alienated? (Although he has lived in St. Cloud for 25 (Although he has lived in St. Cloud for 25 + years, he doesn’t speak English—+ years, he doesn’t speak English—unlike his wife, who does speak unlike his wife, who does speak ‘Laoenglish’ quite well, loves gardening, ‘Laoenglish’ quite well, loves gardening, and socializes with others)and socializes with others)

What exactly is our subject’s issue?What exactly is our subject’s issue?(2)(2)

Is there “mental” illness that is Is there “mental” illness that is not not intimately related tointimately related to “physical” “physical” illness, age, “spiritual” issues? illness, age, “spiritual” issues? Are mind, body, and spirit Are mind, body, and spirit splitsplit intointo different / different / separate compartmentsseparate compartments??In In Lao BuddhistLao Buddhist understandings of understandings of health and illness, is there a health and illness, is there a more more holistic / wholesome wayholistic / wholesome way of viewing of viewing disease, old age, and death which disease, old age, and death which westerners, esp. health care westerners, esp. health care providers in the USA, need to grasp?providers in the USA, need to grasp?

Perhaps it’s the “western health care Perhaps it’s the “western health care systemsystem” that needs a “” that needs a “curecure”?”?

Despite his family’s concerns, Despite his family’s concerns, our Lao our Lao senior issenior is “hanging on” admirably “hanging on” admirably thanks to indigenous Lao medicine thanks to indigenous Lao medicine and Buddhist spirituality—he’s and Buddhist spirituality—he’s a a survivor survivor The man’s The man’s Buddhist religion and Lao Buddhist religion and Lao cultureculture are somehow serving him are somehow serving him notnot as barriers but as as barriers but as aidsaids to healthy to healthy livingliving thus keeping him from thus keeping him from succumbing to diseasesuccumbing to disease

Our case story would Our case story would seem to indicate thatseem to indicate that

Some new-immigrants Some new-immigrants come up with their own come up with their own resources and survive resources and survive inspiteinspite of the western of the western health care system, health care system, notnot because of itbecause of it

Questions to research further:Questions to research further:In St. Cloud area senior centers and nursing In St. Cloud area senior centers and nursing homes or retirement homes, is the health homes or retirement homes, is the health care system care system culturally compatibleculturally compatible and and religiously sensitivereligiously sensitive to Lao Buddhist to Lao Buddhist seniors? seniors? Given the situation of the Lao Buddhist and Given the situation of the Lao Buddhist and other new-immigrant communities, how other new-immigrant communities, how couldcould the health care system the health care system become become more more “user friendly”?“user friendly”?What could cities/counties do What could cities/counties do nownow so that so that Lao families will not get stressed out when Lao families will not get stressed out when their seniors need their seniors need more accessible end-of-more accessible end-of-life carelife care? ?

How have How have medicalmedical and and social facilitiessocial facilities met the met the religious and cultural needsreligious and cultural needs of Lao seniors? of Lao seniors?

Questions such as these are moot: Questions such as these are moot: ++ethnic foodethnic food availability? availability? ++Lao languageLao language live translators? live translators? ++ethnic ethnic recreationrecreation? ? +access to +access to Lao BuddhistLao Buddhist monksmonks??celebrations of lifecelebrations of life??feasts and festivalsfeasts and festivals??

WhenWhen will we arrive at will we arrive at a system wherea system where

the the bestbest of of westernwestern medicine will medicine will be be complementedcomplemented

by the by the bestbest of of non-westernnon-western medicinemedicines s

in a manner which is in a manner which is affordableaffordable and and accessibleaccessible to to allall??

Is an “adjustment” of the western health Is an “adjustment” of the western health care medical system care medical system long past overduelong past overdue??

When will western health care providers When will western health care providers integrate western and non-western integrate western and non-western styles of health care into styles of health care into

““integrative medicine”integrative medicine” ““new medicine”new medicine”When will we experience a When will we experience a Copernican Copernican

revolutionrevolution in US health care so that in US health care so that the the peoplepeople and not big bucks are “up front and not big bucks are “up front and and centercenter”?”?