Culturally and linguistically diverse older adults relocating to residential aged care

Objective: To explore nursing home relocation experiences of overseas-born, culturally and linguistically diverse elderly. Methods: Using a grounded theory approach, interviews were conducted with 20 residents of four nursing homes in the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. Results: Consistent with the grounded theory method, the initial objectives of exploring the participants' nursing home relocation experience focused on the pathways they had taken en route to nursing homes and the strategies used to bring their cultures with them. Conclusion: Participants made little suggestion that culture was an important consideration in their decision making about responding to loss or moving to the nursing home until they began discussing offers of care from their family. Cultural considerations are important factors in assessing the quality of a nursing home and in strategies used for settling into the home. Notably, many of the cultural practices and meanings described by residents were common to many cultures and were experienced by older adults as culturally meaningful.