“We feel included”: education and inclusion of health care staff with minority language in elder care

Abstract

BackgroundIn Norwegian elder care, an increasing percentage of the health care staff has a migrant background. “The aging and nursing care ABC” educational program offers multi-component training for municipal care staff to systematically improve their competence in elder care. The program consists of written material organized into booklets, regular multidisciplinary reflection group meetings, and a full-day workshop in each semester. In 2017, a Norwegian municipality included migrant health care personnel in an educational Minority ABC-model (Min. ABC), systematically focusing on processes relevant for interaction between majority and minority health care staff.AimTo investigate the experiences of the participants in the Min. ABC-model, focusing on the processes and relationships between native participants with Norwegian language and migrants with other lingual backgrounds.MethodThe study has a qualitative design, and draws on four focus group interviews, one group interview, and four individual interviews with a total of 23 female Min. ABC-model participants. Data were analyzed using an approach outlined by Corbin and Strauss.ResultsOur analysis resulted in six main themes: 1) reaching equality, 2) sharing experiences, 3) communication and language, 4) relations to the elderly, 5) differences and discrimination, and 6) lessons learnt.ConclusionOur findings indicate that the Min. ABC-model of the ABC program contributes to better the competence and interaction among personnel with migrant and native lingual backgrounds. The participants describe increased inclusion at work, as well as integration into a more holistic form of teamwork in elder care.

Perspectives on Migrant Care Workers in the Long-Term Care Sector: Identity Politics and Othering

“…The welfare sector, then, has started to employ more workers considered as having a 'migrant background', of which there are disproportionately more men, and is expected to continue to do so in the near future, especially in occupations deemed less prestigious (Dahle & Seeberg 2013), such as home help services and long-term residential care (Krohne et al 2019). Additionally, workers with a migrant background tend to be employed in less prestigious positions in the care sector compared to 472 Ågotnes and Storm Nordic Journal of Migration Research DOI: 10.33134/njmr.477 their native-born colleagues, both regarding type of position and scope (Tingvold & Fagertun 2020).…”

“…In a European context, the proportion of 'migrant labor' in this sector varies greatly, generally higher in Southern Europe (characterized by a higher prevalence of both private/corporate and private/familial care) compared to northern parts of Europe (Krohne et al 2019). Still, the Nordic countries have experienced a rather dramatic increase in foreign/migrant labor force to the sector in recent years and prepare to increase in the coming years, in part as a general tendency in Europe following changes in migration policies in the EEC/EU in 2004 (Christensen 2017).…”

“…Sweden and Norway, which will be addressed in this article, both experience difficulties in recruitment of 'qualified' health and social care personnel and look beyond its boundaries to recruit. In Norway for instance, where 14 per cent of all employees in the health sector had a migrant background in 2015, national and local (municipal) initiatives to recruit health personnel are in effect (Krohne et al 2019). In the longterm residential care sector, number of migrant workers have increased from 11 per cent to 17 per cent (measured as proportion of full-time equivalents) between 2009 and 2017 (Claus 2018).…”

“…From a research perspective, the parallel developments of migration in the Nordic countries combined with an increase in the older adult population, create a need for perspectives combining welfare state/employment and migration issues, not least in the care sector (Krohne et al 2019). Notwithstanding, research focusing on the intersections between globalization and care has, according to Anttonen and Zechner (2011), increased rapidly and will 'remain at the center of care research for a long time ' (33).…”

“…Consequently, workers in this sector are susceptible for negative labelling. Such a negativity is amplified when considering workers with a 'migrant background' are susceptible to prejudice, discrimination and distrust (Jönson 2007;Sörensdotter 2008;Olakivi 2013;Krohne et al 2019).…”