Migrants facing language barriers in accessing services

DESCRIPTION

The DI.S.C.O.P.M.B. Webinar series aims to

• provide a space to discuss current issues in research and practice of diversitysensitive care for older people with migrant background and their families in Europe
• bring together different stakeholders (educators, policy makers, practitioners, researchers, students, members of the public) interested in diversitysensitive care

The Webinar series is organized within the DI.S.C.O.P.M.B. project co-funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union. Find out more about the project at https://www.diversitysensitycare.eu/.

In this session, Emina Hadziabdic (Linnaeus University) and Meri Kulmala (University of Eastern Finland and University of Helsinki) will discuss language barriers migrants face in accessing services.

The Use of Interpreters in Healthcare: Insights from Research

Emina Hadziabdic (Linnaeus University)

The presentation explores using interpreters in healthcare to enhance communication between healthcare professionals and patients from diverse linguistic backgrounds. The study employs qualitative interviews and surveys with both patients and healthcare staff to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences and challenges. The findings of this research underscore the importance of proper interpreter use in healthcare. They indicate that this practice. Effective interpreter use is crucial for ensuring equitable care and improving health outcomes for patients with language barriers.

Barriers to accessing social and health services in the context of older migrants in Finland

Meri Kulmala (University of Eastern Finlandn and University of Helsinki) 

The talk addresses the barriers that older people with migrant backgrounds face in accessing social and heat services in Finland based on the data produced in SOSKIELI research project which studied multilingualism and linguistic vulnerabilities in the context of clients whose first language is not any of the dominant languages (Finnish, Swedish) of the service system. The focus of the talk is in particular on the ever-widening digitalization of the social and health services. The talk argues that digital social and health services are not easily accessible for the foreign language speaking older clients who often need to seek help from the third parties. Hence, in the bigger picture digitalization radically changes the realization of the social rights that people are entitled to.

Date and time: 13 November 2024 11:00-12:00 CET (12-13:00 EET)