Thursday, July 20, 2006

Access to care for immigrant families

A recent study in BC has revealed issues with immigrant communities and care of the elderly. Assumptions regarding care within families are often erroneous with more families unable to care for their own at home. Care providers need to better understand what the current norms are and how to overcome barriers to care for these families. Misunderstandings on both sides abound with the patient in the middle of it all.


Barriers to Access to Care for Ethnic Minority Seniors


There are many reasons for their lack of understanding of the system
-their recent arrival in BC,
-lack of communication between family physicians and the health
authority,
-inability to find a family physician who speaks their language,
-lack of knowledge about the availability of interpreters,
-scarcity of interpretation services and translated materials,
-insufficient English language skills to use the telephone or public
transportation,
-reliance on family members for transportation and interpretation,
-restrictions on movement outside the home due to childcare
responsibilities and/or cultural mores, and
-lack of access to the internet.

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