Challenges and barriers to services for immigrant seniors in Canada: “you are among others but you feel alone”

Abstract

PurposeThis paper seeks to explore varied interrelated challenges and barriers experienced by immigrant seniors.Design/methodology/approachSenior immigrants representing diverse ethnicities (Chinese, Afro Caribbean, Former Yugoslavian, Spanish) described their challenges, support needs, and barriers to service access. Service providers and policy makers from organizations serving immigrant seniors were interviewed to elicit their views on barriers to access and appropriateness of services for immigrant seniors. Qualitative methods were employed to enhance understanding of meanings, perceptions, beliefs, values, and behaviors of immigrant seniors, and investigate sensitive issues experienced by vulnerable groups. The qualitative data were subjected to thematic content analysis.FindingsSeniors reported financial and language difficulties, health problems, discrimination, family conflicts, and social isolation. Although most immigrant seniors appreciated the standard of living in Canada and the services provided to seniors, most believed that support received was inadequate. Seniors encountered systemic (e.g. government policies), institutional (e.g. culturally inappropriate programs), and personal (e.g. transportation, language problems) barriers to accessing social and health services. Service providers and policy makers faced high costs of programs, inadequate financial and human resources, inadequate information about needs of immigrant seniors, inadequate geographical coverage, and lack of inter‐sectoral collaboration.Practical implicationsThe challenges experienced by immigrant seniors have implications for programs and policies and can inform the development of culturally sensitive and appropriate services.Social implicationsThe barriers encountered by service providers in assisting immigrant seniors point to the importance of inter‐sectoral coordination, cultural sensitivity training, and expansion of service providers' mandates.Originality/valueThis study revealed numerous unmet needs for successful acculturation of immigrant and refugee seniors in Canada. It also reveals that the most cogent and sustainable approach to close this chasm of support deficits, unattended challenges, and complex stressors is to implement a model that simultaneously addresses the three levels and use a multisectoral approach.

Developing sustainable social programmes for rural ethnic seniors: perspectives of community stakeholders

“…These include emphasis on whole-of-community approaches rather than targeting specific population groups, which prevent community organisations from institutionalising programmes, and the emphasis on work-readiness within funded capacity-building programmes targeting ethnic populations, which exclude ethnic seniors. Similar issues have been noted in Canadian studies focusing on service access for ethnic seniors (Stewart et al 2011). Given the onus on the wider community to take responsibility for programme sustainability, high-level structures must provide a sympathetic policy environment, and programme funders must consider how funding guidelines and amounts may impact sustainability (Savaya & Spiro 2012).…”

“…Similar issues have been noted in Canadian studies focusing on service access for ethnic seniors (Stewart et al . ). Given the onus on the wider community to take responsibility for programme sustainability, high‐level structures must provide a sympathetic policy environment, and programme funders must consider how funding guidelines and amounts may impact sustainability (Savaya & Spiro ).…”

“…, Stewart et al . ), traditional models of rural service co‐production may not be suitable in terms of maintaining sustainable programmes for ethnic seniors without considerable support to potential leaders. In the face of increasing cultural diversity, this will have implications for rural community sustainability.…”

“…Studies note difficulties associated with both the desire and capacity of rural older adults to run activities (Winterton et al 2014), with Munoz et al (2014) noting that rural service co-production is often dominated by older adults with significant personal resources. When contextualised against the limited resources of many older migrants and the difficulties they face in occupying leadership positions (Sadavoy et al 2004, Stewart et al 2011, traditional models of rural service co-production may not be suitable in terms of maintaining sustainable programmes for ethnic seniors without considerable support to potential leaders. In the face of increasing cultural diversity, this will have implications for rural community sustainability.…”

Experiences of disadvantaged African-Canadian migrants in Ontario, Canada

“…The challenges of integration and resettlement process have led to social isolation and economic marginalisation perceived by migrants as a by-product of chronic unemployment, settling for dead-end jobs and cycling through employment, social services and skills development programs until retirement (Stewart et al, 2011). These include frustrated migrants because of the years they invested in the resettlement process and socioeconomic integration.…”