Population aging and the associated changes in demographic structures and healthcare needs is a key challenge across Europe. Healthy aging strategies focus on ensuring the ability to maintain health, quality of life and independent living at old age. Concurrent to the process of population aging, the demographics of Europe are affected by increased migration resulting in substantial ethnic diversity. In this paper, we narratively review the health profile of the growing proportion of aging migrants in Europe, outline key factors shaping health among this diverse group and consider ways of addressing their healthcare needs.Although factors shaping aging processes are largely similar across populations, migrant-specific risk factors exist. These include exposure to health risks before and during migration; a more disadvantaged socioeconomic position; language barriers and low health literacy; cultural factors influencing health-seeking behaviours; and psychosocial vulnerability and discrimination affecting health and quality of life. Overall, migrants experience the same morbidity and mortality causes as the native populations, but with different relative importance, severity and age of onset and with substantial differences within and between migrant groups. Little is known regarding health behaviours among aging migrants, although differences in cancer screening behaviours have been identified. Indications of widening health differentials between migrants and native populations with age and informal barriers to quality healthcare for aging migrants are causes of concern.In conclusion, there is a need for attention to migration alongside other determinants of healthy aging. The diversity in individual characteristics, life course processes and contextual factors shaping aging processes among migrants point to the need for a sensitive and comprehensive approach to policies, practices and research within the field of healthy aging. This is important to accommodate for the needs of the growing number of aging migrants in Europe and counter inequities in health and well-being at old age.
ZusammenfassungSchätzungen zufolge wird die Zahl pflegebedürftiger Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund über 60 Jahren in den kommenden Jahren stark ansteigen (Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Auswirkungen des demografischen Wandels im Einwanderungsland Deutschland, 2015). Die Datenlage zur pflegerischen Versorgung von älteren Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund ist insgesamt lückenhaft und tendenziell veraltet.
Medication management for chronically ill older adults with a history of migration can be associated with specific challenges, for instance language barriers. This study examined healthcare provider perspectives on interprofessional cooperation and digital medication management tools as approaches for increasing medication safety for chronically ill older adults of Turkish descent in Germany. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 healthcare providers, including general practitioners, pharmacists, a geriatric consultant, a hospital social worker, and an expert on digitalization in nursing care. The interviews were analyzed by means of qualitative structuring content analysis. This article presents selected results of the analysis relating to medication management, barriers to optimal medication management, interprofessional cooperation, and digital tools. Compliance was perceived to be high among chronically ill older adults of Turkish descent and the involvement of family members in medication management was rated positively by respondents. Barriers to medication management were identified in relation to health literacy and language barriers, systemic problems such as short appointments and generic substitution, and racism on behalf of healthcare providers. Additionally, the respondents highlighted structural barriers to interprofessional communication in the German healthcare system. Furthermore, two technology acceptance models presented in this article to illustrate the respondents' perspectives on a) a digital application for medication management to be used by chronically ill older adults of Turkish descent and b) a digital tool for interprofessional communication. The discussion highlights the implications of the results for medication management within the German healthcare system.
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