Abstract
The Palauan way is one where the entire family caters to the aging senior, a kelbelau a kmal kired el di mengisemuk el kirir a remechuodel. The older a person gets, the more he or she grows in respect. The Bureau of Ageing, Disability and Gender oversees the old age centers in all states, offering a site for seniors to congregate and socialize. Caregiving is largely provided by the extended family; in rare cases hired caregivers are needed. The Palau Community College offers a family caregiver training certificate as part of continuing education to strengthen caregiving skills on the island. The concept of nursing homes is non-existent in Palau. The Ministry of Health provides health planning and health services to the people of Palau. Elders and disabled persons’ medical needs are fully covered by the government’s National Health Insurance. There are initial discussions to extend this coverage to include home health and hospice services in the future. The majority of seniors die at home surrounded by their loved ones. Funerals are an important Palauan ritual, continuing the transfer of traditional titles, Palauan land and money, as well as strengthening familial relationships in this matrilineal society.
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Fernandes, R. (2021). The Beauty of Growing Old in the Republic of Palau. In: Selin, H. (eds) Aging Across Cultures. Science Across Cultures: The History of Non-Western Science, vol 10. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76501-9_18
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