Modelling the communication challenges of care workers from multilingual and multicultural backgrounds

Dados Bibliográficos

ID7146220
AutoresUte Knoch (0000-0002-3306-337X, The University of Melbourne, autor correspondente), Philippa Mackey (0000-0002-9929-2351, The University of Melbourne), Ivy Chen (0000-0002-9231-9515, The University of Melbourne), Sally O’hagan (0000-0002-7561-0458, The University of Melbourne)
Ano2025
Volume45
Fascículo11
Páginas2356-2383
Data de publicação2025-11-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAgeing and Society (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0144-686X • E-ISSN: 1469-1779
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0144686x25000108
OpenAlexW4409163479
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas30

Effective communication is central to the majority of activities in care settings. In many English-speaking countries, carers working in care settings are increasingly from multilingual and multicultural backgrounds, with many growing up in countries where English is not the primary language. Communication difficulties may impede carers creating meaningful relationships with residents or successful working relationships with colleagues. Misunderstanding may also result in safety issues. To date, however, few studies have investigated what aspects of communication carers from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds find difficult; nor have these difficulties been modelled theoretically. This article presents the findings of an interview-based study exploring communication difficulties in care settings in Australia. Three groups of participants were interviewed: (1) 30 personal care assistants (PCAs) from CALD backgrounds, (2) 20 supervisors of PCAs and (3) 18 older people who were receiving care and/or nominated support people who participated on behalf of an older person. The data were thematically analysed. The findings show that the communicative challenges facing new PCAs from CALD backgrounds are numerous, ranging from specific linguistic challenges to more workplace-specific problems. Based on the findings, the article proposes a model of communicative competence of personal care workers. The study has implications for the training of personal care workers from CALD backgrounds

Intercultural communication · Linguistics · Multiculturalism · Pedagogy · Sociology · Interpreting and Communication in Healthcare · Philosophy · Psychology