Religion
Virtually all Greeks belong to the Greek Orthodox religion, and most older Greeks are religious, in the sense of observing the major religious events and celebrations and attending church. Some are devout, strictly following the rituals and prescriptions of the church. These are important matters because they have influenced, and shaped your clients view of life. See Role of the Church.
Knowing how involved your client has been in church life, will provide important information about attitudes and needs, and can inform activities and other aspects of their care plan. If your client is religious, listening to a church service on the radio may be comforting. Planning an excursion to a Greek monastry may be a welcome group activity. Getting involved with Easter preparations might be a fun way of working with family members and learning more about Greek culture. Knowing your client’s religious background may be very important to understanding their wishes regarding death and dying.
Traditions and customs often have a religious basis. For the Greek person, especially Greek elders, customs and religion are thoroughly intertwined. See Saints’ Days. Many community celebrations and special family occasions have religious significance eg. Easter. Understanding the main tenets of Greek Orthodox religion and how these are practised and celebrated will help you make sense of what is important to you client.
See Greek Orthodox Sacraments, Religious Dates, and Greek Easter.