title: Health care experiences and beliefs of elderly Finnish immigrants in Sweden.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the experiences and beliefs of care of elderly Finnish immigrants living in Sweden (Sweden-Finns) in order to gain an understanding of the role ethnic background plays in these experiences and beliefs.
  
  
  METHODS
  39 elderly Sweden-Finns living in Stockholm were interviewed. The data were analysed hermeneutically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On a surface level, the care in Sweden was culturally congruent to elderly Sweden-Finns' experiences and beliefs of care. However, care in Finland and the care providers with Finnish background were regarded as superior to Swedish caregivers, giving a deeper sense of familiarity and trust in anticipation of good care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Culturally appropriate care with care providers sharing the same ethnic background is important for ethnic elderly persons in enabling familiarity and trust between staff and patients.
authors: Department of Neuroscience, Occupational Therapy, and Elderly Care Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Heikkilä
authors: S L
authors: SL
authors: Ekman
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003469:Culture; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000208:ethnology; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D013548:Sweden