San Francisco is one of the most culturally diverse areas in the world. There are people from all ethnic backgrounds, beliefs, and races living in the Bay Area. This is certainly a benefit to each one of us, but it needs to be approached correctly if our older loved ones are going to get the most out of senior care when it is required.
Taking cultural differences into account in medical and person-centered care is a relatively new concept, when applied on a widespread scale. But cultural differences are very real and when they’re ignored, it can have very real negative consequences. It can lead to resentment and anger on behalf of all parties involved. This is certainly not the aim of senior care. Care should be focused on helping.
Even those of us that come from similar backgrounds have some major differences about us. The way my family lives our life, the things that we place as higher priorities, are likely very different from what your family emphasizes in how you live your life. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just different. However, when these differences are taken into account in the care that someone receives, it is far more valued. Seniors are a lot more likely to embrace and engage with the care that they receive when they value the work that is being done.
Imagine how much more so major cultural differences play a role in the perceived value that senior care brings! This isn’t always easy to do, though. I don’t know much about some cultures, and certainly not enough about other cultures to effectively help address all of our differences on a substantive level.
But that doesn’t mean that I cannot be aware of my shortcomings and approach cultural differences with a stance of humility. I can acknowledge that the families I work with are the experts of their own lives and take their points of view into account while providing care. A caregiver that is focused on the individual they are helping with will always provide a more loving care than a cookie cutter approach to care.
This is the big benefit of working with an in-home caregiver. When care is provided in a one to one basis, it is easier to account for the needs of that one person. It’s easier to adapt how in-home care is given than it is to make changes to an entire nursing home. There’s value to nursing homes, there’s no doubt about that. But when it comes to addressing more specific needs, beliefs, and differences, it is easier when done in a smaller setting. In-home care allows individuals to get to know each other more deeply and even become close friends. It provides the kind of relationship that overcomes and accounts for cultural differences in a respectful manner.
We’d love to talk more about in-home care and how it might be helpful. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to learn more about who we are and what we do.
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