Presenter(s):

Anthony Iwuagwu; Abner Weng Cheong Poon; Elizabeth Fernandez, University of New South Wales Sydney Australia, Australia

Abstract

Australian government’s efforts to ensure access to equitable aged care services are commendable. However, the specific needs of a segment of the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) population such as the African population are often but unintentionally overlooked. This study aimed to explore older African migrants’ perceptions and use of aged care services in Australia. A research team including an African migrant in Australia, using a qualitative description design conducted face-to-face and telephone semi-structured interviews with 12 migrant older adults from African backgrounds. Data was analysed thematically using the Nvivo Software. Findings show that older adults believed in caregiving at home by their relatives and had negative perceptions of aged care services including residential aged care relocation (to an aged care home). They also thought that the benefits of staying at home with their relatives outweighed the negative sides, attributing their perception and use of services to their cultural orientation to aged care. The older adults believed that care homes should be more sensitive to the culturally specific needs of Africans, and they ultimately advocated for the creation of African-specific care homes in Australia. Amidst negative perception of aged care services by older African migrants, there is potential for the use of aged care services, if these services are culturally appropriate- highlighting the need for the government to commission culturally appropriate aged care services for Africans in Australia.

Bio(s):

Anthony Iwuagwu is completing his PhD in the University of New South Wales Sydney Australia. He has researched widely in the field of ageing and gerontology and is widely published in top journals. He equally serves as a peer reviewer for top journals.