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Seniors on the margins
Seniors from ethnocultural minorities
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Family support and
community services
There is a common assumption that most seniors from ethnic minority communities
are cared for by their families, that is, that "they look after their
own." While there remains more to learn about ethnicity and patterns of
family support for older relatives, we do know that co-residency of families
can be an important factor for support and there appears to be a great
variation in the degree to which family support is provided.23
Although cultural norms are often assumed to be the main explanation given
for co-residency, in many cases it may simply be a result of economic
necessity: adult children who sponsor their parents are financially responsible
for them for ten years after they arrive in Canada. Yet, little is known
about the quality of support provided to seniors in these settings and
the impact of this dependency on their well-being.
Idealizing ethnic families as being highly supportive is a mistake and
creates the risk of neglecting the need of ethnic seniors for formal supports
and community programs.24 To successfully reach this population
group, community programs need to be designed to meet a diversity of interests
and needs. Innovative methods must be found to break through the cultural
and linguistic barriers that keep ethnocultural minority seniors isolated
and prevent them from participating in recreational and social activities.
Such programs would have the combined effect of providing education on
healthy lifestyles, helping to improve language skills and offering support.*
| Cultural competency implies that one is sensitive
to diverse ethnocultural perspectives and willing to respond to individual
needs, wants and preferences in a culturally sensitive and appropriate
manner.25 |
| "I am very interested in learning English.
Now that I am attending an ESL program, everything is different for
me. I am not isolated anymore. I have met warm and friendly people."27 |
English or French language classes specifically designed for older immigrants
can play an important role in the process of integration into the broader
community and address many of the risk factors that can lead to isolation
of older adults. A "best practice model" for an ESL/FSL program recognizes that language classes
are more than just about learning language; it can and should "be a means
of building social networks, conveying information about access to health
and social services, and fostering new friendships among persons from diverse
cultural backgrounds."26 However, while government-sponsored
language programs for recent immigrants have no age cutoffs, it is likely
that they are not tailored to meet the particular needs of older immigrants.
| St. Christopher's Health Action Theatre for
Seniors (HATS) in Toronto, includes Portuguese- and Vietnamese-speaking
senior actors. It created 27 different non-verbal short plays on health-related
topics such as caregiving, heart health, nutrition, gambling, substance
abuse, fraud, safety, abuse and neglect, and communication with health
providers. The HATS program was supported by the SHARE Award program
and was effective in reaching St. Christopher's senior immigrant communities.28 |
|
Recommendations for family
and community support
All levels of government, universities, colleges and/or service
agencies should:
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12)
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Provide stable operational funding to community organizations
that serve ethnic minority seniors, as well as to existing
organizations to expand their programs in order to create
new opportunities for seniors from diverse backgrounds to
congregate.
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13)
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Recognize ESL/FSL as an important tool for contributing to
the process of integration of newcomers to Canada and ensure
that some classes be specifically designed for older populations
and made readily available at no cost.
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14)
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Review their services to determine the extent to which they
meet the linguistic and culturally determined needs of ethnic
minority seniors. In doing so, the "best practice guidelines"
of the Canadian Council for Refugees should be followed.
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15)
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Increase the number of volunteers and community/social service
professionals of different ethnic backgrounds working in health
and social service organizations.
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16)
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Provide training to service agencies to ensure a better understanding
of cultural and ethnic differences and how to best serve clients
of various backgrounds.
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17)
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Provide housing options so that seniors have a choice regarding
whether or not to live with other family members.
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18)
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Create a national clearinghouse to facilitate the sharing
and dissemination of models, information and other resources
that will help organizations and agencies meet the needs of
ethnocultural communities.
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19)
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Increase representation of ethnic minority seniors on national,
provincial, and community planning, policy and program advisory
boards.
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20)
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Specifically include ethnic diversity as an important consideration
in national and local planning for an aging society.
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Information needs
There has not been a lot of research done in Canada on aging and ethnicity.
The Metropolis Project29 currently being carried out will be
providing new knowledge on issues of immigration. It is an international
forum for comparative research and public policy development about population
migration, cultural diversity and the challenges of immigrant integration
in cities in Canada and around the world. The goal is to improve policies
for managing migration and cultural diversity in major cities. However,
only a few of the Metropolis studies on immigrants have focused specifically
on seniors. More research on this population is required, as is new knowledge
about the impact of ethnicity on the aging process, and its implications
for health and well-being, the particular needs of ethnic minority seniors
and the development of appropriate responses to these needs.
| From 1999 to 2003, the SHARE awards (through
the University of Pennsylvania) provided funding to small community-based
organizations in Canada and the United States to improve the health
of elders from racially, ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds.
Among the number of outcomes of this program: increased knowledge
about the needs of older ethnic minority seniors and new models and
services to address this population.30 |
| The impact of ethnicity on seniors' adjustment to long-term care is not well understood; in particular, more information is needed on the rate of physical and mental decline and the rate of mortality among ethnic minority seniors compared to that of seniors from majority groups. A study (for the Metropolis Project)29 is currently examining the integration experiences of immigrant seniors; one aspect of this study will look into culturally sensitive practices within long-term care institutions. |
|
Recommendations for research and data collection
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21)
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Public and private research funding bodies should give priority
to funding research on issues related to the health and well-being
of ethnic minority seniors and ensure that any analysis of
public data on ethnocultural communities include reports on
age cohorts over the age of 65.
Possible areas of research include:
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•
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effectiveness of existing employment-related policies
and programs for helping immigrant seniors to get access
to employment
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•
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under-utilization of health and social services by
ethnocultural communities
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•
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effective ways for reaching older ethnic minority seniors
with or at risk for mental health problems
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appropriateness of ethnically sensitive services within
general services for seniors vs. ethnic-specific services
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impact of multigenerational households and family dependency
on the well-being and quality of life of ethnic seniors
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•
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formal and informal support-seeking patterns of families
of seniors from various ethnic backgrounds
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22)
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National scale surveys and health studies should include
an adequate sample size of ethnocultural minority seniors
so that the evolution of their health and well-being can be
better monitored with valid data.
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*For more information regarding "best practices"
for serving ethnocultural minority populations, see the Appendix.
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