Comparisons on factors affecting residents fulfilling self-determination in ethno-specific and mainstream nursing homes: a qualitative study

Lily Xiao; Carolyn Gregoric; Sue Gordon; Shahid Ullah; Ian Goodwin-Smith; Eimear Muir-Cochrane; Sara Blunt

doi:10.1186/s12877-023-03800-w

Comparisons on factors affecting residents fulfilling self-determination in ethno-specific and mainstream nursing homes: a qualitative study

BMC Geriatr. 2023 Feb 7;23(1):81. doi: 10.1186/s12877-023-03800-w.

Authors

Lily Xiao¹, Carolyn Gregoric², Sue Gordon³, Shahid Ullah⁴, Ian Goodwin-Smith⁵, Eimear Muir-Cochrane², Sara Blunt⁶

Affiliations

¹ College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia, 5042, Australia. lily.xiao@flinders.edu.au.
² College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia, 5042, Australia.
³ Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
⁴ College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
⁵ College of Business, Government & Law, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
⁶ Kalyra Communities, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.

Abstract

Background: Studies revealed that supporting residents fulfilling self-determination is positively associated with their health, wellbeing and quality of life. Cross-cultural care poses significant challenges for nursing home residents to fulfil their self-determination in control of own care and maintaining meaningful connections with others. The aim of the study was to compare factors affecting residents fulfilling self-determination in ethno-specific and mainstream nursing homes.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was applied to the study. Culturally competent care and person-centred care were employed as guiding frameworks. Individual interviews or a focus group with residents and family members were conducted to collect data.

Results: In total, 29 participants participated in the study. Three main themes were identified: communicating needs and preferences; mastering own care; and maintaining meaningful relationships. Each theme includes sub-themes that detail similarities and differences of factors affecting residents fulfilling self-determination in the two type nursing homes. Findings indicate that residents from both types of nursing homes experienced challenges to communicate their care needs and preferences in daily care activities. Moreover, residents or their representatives from both types of nursing homes demonstrated motivation and competence to master residents' care based on their individual preferences, but also perceived that their motivation was not always supported by staff or the nursing home environment. Residents' competence in mastering their care activities in ethno-specific nursing homes was based on the condition that they were given opportunities to use a language of choice in communication and staff and the nursing home demonstrated culturally competent care for them. In addition, ethno-specific nursing homes showed more recourse to support residents to maintain meaningful relationships with peers and others.

Conclusions: Culturally competent care created by staff, nursing homes and the aged care system is a basic condition for residents from ethnic minority groups to fulfil self-determination. In addition, person-centred care approach enables residents to optimise self-determination.

Keywords: Aged care; Culturally competent care; Nursing home; Person-centred care; Self-determination; Workforce issues.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Ethnicity*
Humans
Minority Groups
Nursing Homes
Qualitative Research
Quality of Life*

Grants and funding

IPSG2019/Flinders University