Home Healthcare Among Aging Migrants: A Joanna Briggs Institute Scoping Review.
Background/
Objectives: The aging migrant population faces unique healthcare challenges due to linguistic, cultural, and systemic barriers. Home healthcare services play a crucial role in supporting aging migrants, yet accessibility and effectiveness remain inconsistent across different healthcare systems. This scoping review examines the experiences of aging migrants in home healthcare settings and explores the impact of these services on their health and well-being. This review aims to synthesize the existing literature on home healthcare experiences among aging migrants, highlighting the facilitators and barriers to effective service delivery and the implications for policy and practice. Method: A scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) framework. A comprehensive search was performed across multiple databases, including CINAHL, Medline, and Scopus, for articles published between 2000 and 2024. Studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria focusing on home healthcare experiences among aging migrants. Data extraction and thematic analysis were conducted to identify key themes.
Results: The review identified 35 studies across various geographical regions, highlighting four key themes: (1) Cultural and Linguistic Accessibility, (2) The Role of Informal Caregiving, (3) Structural and Systemic Challenges, and (4) Health Outcomes and Identity Preservation. The findings indicate that language barriers, cultural stigma, and systemic exclusion significantly hinder equitable access to home healthcare. Informal caregiving by family members remains a primary support mechanism, though it places considerable strain on caregivers. The lack of culturally competent healthcare services and inadequate policy frameworks exacerbate disparities in care.
Conclusions: This review highlights the critical need for systemic reforms to improve healthcare accessibility for aging migrants. Policies must prioritize cultural competence training for healthcare providers, expand multilingual healthcare services, and integrate informal caregiving into formal support structures. Investment in community-driven healthcare initiatives and targeted outreach programs can help bridge existing service gaps. While home healthcare plays a vital role in supporting aging migrants, structural inequities and cultural barriers continue to hinder equitable access. Addressing these disparities requires comprehensive policy interventions, enhanced provider training, and culturally inclusive care models. Future research should explore innovative frameworks that incorporate culturally responsive practices to ensure effective and equitable home healthcare for aging migrant populations.