Holocaust survivors’ perspectives on using community aged care and support services

Abstract

The extant literature on Jewish Holocaust survivors’ experiences of receiving aged care services typically focuses on the risk that formal care settings may reactivate traumatic memories. Absent from previous research have been the viewpoints of older survivors themselves regarding their aged care experiences. An interpretive phenomenological approach was used to investigate Jewish Holocaust survivors’ lived experience of using community aged care services. Thirteen in-depth interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. The credibility of the findings was ensured by methodological triangulation and peer debriefing. Four major themes emerged from the analysis: wanting carers to do their job well; being supported to maintain autonomy; having a good relationship with the carer; and being understood as an individual. Although Holocaust survivors described the lived experience of using community aged care services in terms of universal themes similar to those identified with other groups of care recipients, the data revealed that this experience is intertwined with individual earlier-life traumatic experiences. This study has implications for training age care staff who work with Holocaust survivors and older trauma survivors from other refugee backgrounds.

A Scoping Review of Aging Experiences Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse People in Australia: Toward Better Aging Policy and Cultural Well-Being for Migrant and Refugee Adults

“…Specialized infrastructures, experienced staff, and satisfactory service levels were not available in rural and regional areas of Australia ( van Gaans & Dent, 2018 ; Winterton & Warburton, 2012 ), which was also characterized by a lack of services, and some inappropriate facilities for different cultural and religious groups ( Ahmad & Khan, 2015 ; Al Abed et al, 2013 ). A study of Holocaust survivors’ experience of aged care services by Teshuva and Wells (2014) raised concerns over some space arrangements in aged care facilities that trigger negative memories (e.g., locked doors and windows, enclosed space, and long corridors), while Teshuva et al (2019 , p. 242) described how “the negative impacts of not being treated in ways consistent with person-centred care principles are exacerbated for trauma survivors.”…”

“…According to Teshuva et al (2019) , the most encouraging enablers for engagement were the understanding of the needs of older adults as individuals and not as a homogenous group. The feeling of being listened to, familiarity, usefulness, and respect in all interactions, not only with family and community members but also with health workers, were noted as integral to feelings of being valued.…”

“…The search from the gray literature resulted in 31 reports, and after full-text screening, five of these were included. Three other studies ( Atwell et al, 2007 ; Egan & Bowes, 2013 ; Teshuva et al, 2019 ) were added due to their relevance to the topic and research questions; these were found by using the string keywords in the Google search engine. The full-text analysis thus led to a total of 34 studies for final inclusion.…”