Abstract
INTRODUCTION: According to Census 2013, approximately 25% of Auckland’s population is Asian, with the majority of these being Chinese. Given that Aotearoa New Zealand’s population is ageing, it can be expected that there will a significant demand for aged services for Chinese older adults in our local community in the future. Exploring the language barrier encountered by retired and aged (65+) Chinese migrants living in Auckland is needed.METHOD: Two focus groups were interviewed with retired Chinese migrants (group 1) and local social service practitioners (group 2). The focus group topics included the living experience of Chinese migrants in Auckland in Aotearoa New Zealand, while local social service practitioners reported their daily work experience of serving Chinese older adults. A short, warm-up, oral questionnaire stimulated discussion in each group. Data analysis was used to identify themes and draw tentative conclusions about the needs of older migrants and suggest how local aged- services providers could better serve retired Chinese migrants.FINDINGS: Language barriers and transportation problems were commonly agreed to be obstacles that hindered retired Chinese migrants accessing social support and health services. More input was needed to improve their general English language proficiency to facilitate their daily lives and participation in social life in Aotearoa New Zealand.IMPLICATIONS: Findings from the research have the potential to be an important resource for local social service practitioners, giving them a better understanding of older Chinese people.
Highlights
According to Census 2013, approximately 25% of Auckland’s population is Asian, with the majority of these being Chinese
Communicating in English is one of the most common difficulties facing migrants from non-English-speaking countries; it is a common indicator of how well a migrant is adapting to their new cultural environment (Wang, Schwartz, & Zamboanga, 2010).This study investigated the language barriers retired Chinese migrants aged 65+ face accessing social support in Aotearoa New Zealand; exploring the perceptions of local social service practitioners concerning delivering services to retired Chinese migrants
Current support includes free interpreting services, translation services for written words, and free English language classes—but retired Chinese migrants who are facing language barriers need to be made aware of these services
Summary
According to Census 2013, approximately 25% of Auckland’s population is Asian, with the majority of these being Chinese. According to statistics from Immigration New Zealand, Chinese applicants made up nearly 75% (7286 out of 9672) of the business investment migrants approved. Many Chinese students who completed their three- to four-year study in New Zealand were granted permanent residency. According to Department of Labour figures, China had more permanent residence approvals under the “Family Parent” scheme between 2004 and 2017 than any other country (see Table 1). The ratio of approvals to Chinese migrants rose significantly from 21% in 2004/05 to 55% in 2011/12, and to 60% in 2016/17.
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