The different faces of care work: understanding the experiences of the multi-cultural care workforce

Abstract

An increased demand for long-term care services coupled with the decreased availability of informal (family) carers in many industrialised countries has led to the employment of growing numbers of 'migrant care workers '. Little is known about this heterogeneous group or of their experience of employment in longterm care. Providing an important insight into a hitherto little researched and poorly understood topic, this article presents the findings of a qualitative study in Ireland that sought greater understanding of migrant carers' experience of care work and of the intra-group differences among them. The findings suggest that some members of the long-term care workforce are more likely to confront obstacles and discrimination than others. The data indicate that the experiences of European, South Asian and African carers are significantly different and that relationships may exist between carers' region of origin and their experience of care work, employment mobility and long-term plans for remaining in the sector. The findings underscore the significance of acknowledging the unique barriers and obstacles faced by particular populations of care workers. A better understanding of the changing demographic profile and needs of both care recipients and their paid (migrant) care-givers is required to ensure that appropriate policy and practical interventions are developed to support both groups.

Experiences of racism and discrimination among migrant care workers in England: Findings from a mixed-methods research project

“…Many of the experiences related by participants in the research fit with previous findings from the UK and Ireland (McGregor 2007;Cangiano et al 2009, Doyle andTimonen 2009). The relatively common experience of racism and bad treatment accords with understandings of racism within British society (Thornberry 2005), and the sense that workers in less diverse communities experienced greater levels of racism also accords with other understandings of experiences of racism (Garland and Chakraborti 2006).…”

“…Racism and discrimination may take a number of forms, varying from individual racist comments, or a refusal to receive services from workers of visibly different ethnicity (McGregor 2007, Cangiano et al 2009, to the under-representation of migrants in managerial and professional positions (Kofman et al 2009). Furthermore, migrant workers may face further elements of discrimination as a result of language difficulties or cultural misunderstanding; these can vary in relation to their country of birth (Cangiano et al 2009, Doyle andTimonen 2009). There is also some evidence that employers use racial and national stereotypes in their recruitment of migrants to work in the care sector (Anderson andRogaly 2005, Doyle andTimonen 2009).…”

“…Furthermore, migrant workers may face further elements of discrimination as a result of language difficulties or cultural misunderstanding; these can vary in relation to their country of birth (Cangiano et al 2009, Doyle andTimonen 2009). There is also some evidence that employers use racial and national stereotypes in their recruitment of migrants to work in the care sector (Anderson andRogaly 2005, Doyle andTimonen 2009). Migrants' experience, however, is not unique; workers from different ethnic groups are likely to experience different levels of discrimination, in relation to different elements in their workplace.…”

Nursing Students' Intentions to Work in Dementia Care: Influence of Age, Ageism, and Perceived Barriers

“…An ageing population and a decrease in the availability of informal (family) caregivers have contributed to an increased demand for long-term care services in high-income countries (254). This increase in demand requires an increase in the workforce which, in many countries, is being met by migrant health professionals and migrant care workers (255,256).…”

Challenges to the provision of community aged care services across rural Australia: perceptions of service managers

“…The moral dimensions of care work, which rest on worker virtue and passivity, are discursively privileged over technical skill to counter justification for higher rates of pay 13 . Such exploitation is especially apparent in the case of low socioeconomic workers, including migrant and refugee women, whose employment opportunities are narrow 7,[14][15][16][17] .…”