Strategies to Access Health and Social Services for English-Speaking Older Adults in Quebec: A Qualitative Case Study

Type of resource
Authors/collaborators
Title
Strategies to Access Health and Social Services for English-Speaking Older Adults in Quebec: A Qualitative Case Study
Abstract
The authors note that considering that French is the dominant language in Quebec, that relatively few Francophone providers of health and social services can speak English, and that English-speaking older adults (OAs) have low levels of bilingualism, Anglophone OAs are more likely than their Francophone peers to face language barriers when accessing health and social services. However, they point out, little is known about the strategies English-speaking OAs put into place to overcome the difficulties encountered due to language barriers when they access these services. The authors therefore set out to document the strategies used by English-speaking OAs when, due to language barriers, they faced difficulties in accessing health and social services. The authors conducted a qualitative case study with ten English-speaking OAs in the Eastern Townships. Through interviews and document reviews, the authors collected data which they then analyzed thematically. The authors identified seven strategies used by English-speaking OAs: investigating for health- and access-related information in English, creating their own services, entering the health and social services system offered in French, entering the health and social services system with help from others, putting the responsibility of overcoming the language barrier on the provider, splitting that responsibility, and taking on the responsibility. The authors’ results highlight a potential burden associated with the involvement of the English-speaking community in enabling English-speaking OAs to access health and social services.
Publication
Canadian Social Work Review / Revue canadienne de service social
Volume
Vol. 40
Issue
no. 1
Pages
5-27
Date
2023
Language
en
Citation
Ethier, Alexandra, and Annie Carrier. “Strategies to Access Health and Social Services for English-Speaking Older Adults in Quebec: A Qualitative Case Study.” Canadian Social Work Review / Revue canadienne de service social Vol. 40, no. 1 (2023): 5–27.
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