Elderly Care for Ethnic Minorities--Wishes and Expectations among Elderly Finns in Sweden

Abstract

Objectives. Although elderly people from immigrant and minority groups utilise elderly care facilities to a lesser extent than elderly people from majority groups, there is a lack of research on how elderly people with different ethnic backgrounds wish and expect to be cared for when they are in need of institutional elderly care. This study aims to illuminate the role that culturally appropriate care plays in elderly Finnish immigrants' wishes and expectations of institutional elderly care in Sweden. Design. Thirty-nine elderly Finnish immigrants in Sweden, aged 75 years or more, were interviewed in their homes. The data were analysed with latent qualitative content analysis. Results. The elderly Finnish immigrants in Sweden wished to be able to continue living in their current homes for as long as possible. Later on, when entering institutional elderly care, they wanted to feel continuity, familiarity, security and companionship with others. As immigrants, they had to choose to be cared for either in well-known physical environments close to their current homes, or in a culturally appropriate care setting with familiar socio-cultural conditions. Conclusions. To be able to provide institutional elderly care for minority groups it is important to ease the access to elderly care amenities by providing care that results in maintaining as much continuity and familiarity as possible in the lives of the elderly people. This includes the care providers and other residents who share the familiar aspects of their lives. This involves providing culturally appropriate elderly care close to the elderly people's current homes.