All across the world, different cultures and different people practice senior care in a different way. In the United States, we have leaned heavily on the nursing home model. In Asian culture, this is a very new concept. Senior care has always been something that the family provides.
When it comes to our own families, it puts us at a disadvantage. Not all of us here in the U.S. fit these categories when it comes to our own culture and beliefs. It seems like we are forced to pick whatever’s out there.
But what about elderly loved ones that don’t speak English? What if they grew up in a different country and have very different ideas about how senior care should be conducted? Do these resources exist in your community?
For many, culturally sensitive care isn’t something that naturally pops up on our radar. I grew up in a small town that consisted of mostly white people from a European background. It wasn’t until I was in high school that my town started to become a little more culturally diverse. The fact that people from different parts of the world have different cultural priorities never crossed my mind until I was in college and started meeting new people from places I had never been.
The fact that senior care takes different forms because of culture makes sense, but it doesn’t always take up residence in the front of our minds. If you live in a larger city, odds are you have access to a more culturally aware and nuanced type of care. We are blessed here in the San Francisco area to have a lot of providers from all over the world. If they do not naturally practice the type of care that you’re looking for, odds are they are aware of it and can either adapt or help get you pointed in the right direction.
We can’t promise that we can provide the culturally appropriate care that your older loved one needs. But we would love to talk to you about your specific needs and how we can help meet them. Every family is a little bit different, and each member of your family is a unique individual. Part of providing a high quality of care is to take these individual scenarios into account and helping to accommodate them.
As always, we’re here for you. If you have questions about care, culture, or how your loved one might be impacted if and when they need senior care, we’re here. This is precisely why we have a free consultation service. We’ve been doing this for a long time and have a lot of experience–we’ve probably come across the answer to your question, no matter how detailed or specific it might be.
And if we don’t know the answer, we can help get you pointed in the right direction. The goal isn’t to sell you a service, but to help connect your family to the services and assistance that you need to thrive in the way that works for you.
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