Folk health and illness beliefs and practices were abstracted from a large-scale study of older Greek-Canadian widows conceptualized within Leininger's theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality using ethnographic, ethnonursing, and life health-care history methods. Data were collected using observation-participation and interviews in three Greek-Canadian communities with 12 widowed key informants and 30 general informants. Interview inquiry guides, Leininger's Life History Health Care Protocol, and field journal recordings assisted data collection. Data were analysed using Leininger's phases of analysis for qualitative data. A major health theme which was abstracted from the raw data and patterns was: health for Greek-Canadian widows meant a state of well-being, ability to perform daily role activities, and avoidance of pain and illness. The findings, which also included folk health care and illness beliefs and practices, will stimulate future nursing research related to health and nursing care of people of diverse cultures.

Dorothea Orem and Madeleine Leininger are two nursing scholars who are contributing significantly to the body of nursing knowledge. This paper contrasts their backgrounds, the origins of their theories, their views of the nature of nursing, use of theory development strategies, and contributions to nursing science. The concepts of Leininger's care and Orem's self-care will be compared as these relate to their theories with the examination of similarities and differences.

Cultural care themes were abstracted from a large scale study of older Greek Canadian widows conceptualized within Leininger's theory of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality. Ethnonursing, ethnographic, and life health-care history methods were used. Data were collected using observation-participation and interviews in three Greek Canadian communities with 12 widowed key informants and 30 general informants. Enabling tools used were interview inquiry guides, Leininger's Life History Health Care Protocol, Leininger's Acculturation Rating and Profile Scale of Traditional and Non-Traditional Lifeways, and field journal recordings. Data were analyzed using Leininger's phases of analysis for qualitative data. The two major cultural care themes which were abstracted from the raw data and patterns were: (1) Cultural care for Greek Canadian widows meant responsibility for, reciprocation, concern, love, companionship, family protection, hospitality, and helping, primarily derived from their kinship, religious, and cultural beliefs, and values, and (2) Cultural care continuity diminished the spousal care void and contributed to the health of Greek Canadian widows. These findings will stimulate future nursing research related to cultural care of diverse populations and guide nursing practice to provide culturally congruent care which will assist widows to reduce their spousal care void. The author thanks Dr. Madeleine Leininger, Dr. Judith Floyd, Dr. Marjorie Isenberg, and Dr. Bernice Kaplan for their guidance in completing the large scale study on which this article is based.

Older family caregivers are often responsible for aged parents or spouses. The purpose of this theoretical article is to review the literature regarding the concept of hardiness, present a summary of Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring in Nursing, explore older caregiver hardiness within Watson's theory, and discuss implications for gerontological nursing. An understanding of older caregiver hardiness within Watson's theory will guide gerontological practice, research, and theory development in nursing.