Amish Culture Essay

The simple and unique Amish culture was founded in 1693 in Europe by Jakob Ammann (Treating) and members after defecting from the Anabaptist movement of 1525 (Purnell pg 37). Soon after defecting from the movement, many of the members of the newly founded Amish church were sought after for persecution and for that reason immigrated to the United States of America during the 17th and 18th centuries. (Purnell pg 37). Today the Amish culture has expanded throughout twenty states including but not limited to: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Montana, and others. At this time no member of the Amish culture lives in Europe (Purnell pg 37). In fact more than ¼ or approximately 275,000 members of the Amish community live in the rural countryside of Ohio (Katz). There are more than 110,000 Amish settlements throughout the United States. (Graham).

The Amish church was founded on the imposition of restrictions such as “non-resistance, non-swearing of oaths, non-secrecy, and non-conformity to the world.” (Treating). The Amish live a plain simple life, putting community above individual needs and wants, they are god fearing, self-sufficient, and they adapt as they need to. They live without electricity, hot water lines or bath tubs. They grow their own food, occasionally shopping at local markets
if necessary. They create their own modest clothing using muted colors and no make-up or jewelry. (Purnell pg 38). They do not have individual telephones or cellular devices but may have a community phone in a central location for emergencies or use a trusted Non-Amish phone in the event of an emergency. Ice blocks are used to keep food in the refrigerators and freezers cold. Coal, wood, kerosene, or oil are used to provide heat and for cooking. (Treating). They travel using horse drawn carriages, and hire a driving service if the distance farther than what the carriage can travel. (Graham). Within the Amish culture there is a subculture of different Amish secs: Old Order Amish, New Order Amish, Beachy Amish, and Swartzentruber Amish (Treating).
It is important as the healthcare provider to know what sec that their patient is from so as to design a plan of care that can fit their needs. For example a member who is part of the Old Order Amish should not have a plan of care that requires them to travel long distances, call the physician frequently, and use electrical equipment or any kind of modern technology. The Old Order Amish are completely traditional in their belief system and that any form of modern technology would draw people away from god.
(Amish).