Intercultural residential care in New Zealand.
Along with other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, New Zealand's society is aging such that an increase in the number of older people requiring residential care is predicted. What cannot be foreseen is how culturally defined health beliefs affect the care given to older people in residential care. In this article, the authors describe and discuss the culturally based health beliefs of some Pacific Islands caregivers and predominately European (Pakeha) older people resident at one long-term care facility in Auckland, New Zealand. The delivery of care is influenced by culturally related beliefs about "being old." Racism is evident in residential care, and the authors discuss the reactions of caregivers, residents, and management. This research extends the discussion of caregiving and receiving in to the cross-cultural setting, and the findings highlight a number of elements in cultural differences between carer and cared-for that might affect care practices at the residential facility studied.
Kiata
Liz
L
Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Kerse
Ngaire
N
D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D003469:Culture; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009520:New Zealand; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000592:standards*; D011287:Prejudice; D024382:Professional Role; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology