McGregor PACE Recognizes the Cultural Diversity of Our Participants
How to Offer Diversity Training to Your Team
We are fortunate to live in a culturally diverse Cleveland community—and our PACE participants reflect this great diversity of backgrounds. No matter an individual’s race, sex, religion, or cultural background, they deserve access to comprehensive aging services. As a senior care provider, we believe it is so important to recognize cultural awareness in health care environments. This is why we take a culturally sensitive approach to delivering aging services.
What is cultural sensitivity? It means recognizing and respecting others who have cultural backgrounds that are different from our own. These differences may include belief systems, languages, dress styles, and food choices, among others.
In a new, unfamiliar environment, older adults with communication barriers may feel frustrated, lost, or misunderstood. They may have difficulty expressing their wishes regarding their preferences for personal space or physical contact. We need to find ways to ensure every individual is understood, understands their own care plan, and can express their wishes.
How can you take a culturally sensitive approach to aging services? We believe this starts with providing adequate training for your staff and sharing your mission of respect and recognition for each individual’s unique ethnic background.
Together, your team can:
- Inquire about any cultural preferences during the admission or enrollment process
- Ask participants about any religious observations and differences in daily routine
- Accommodate those observances and differences when possible and feasible to do so
- Use translators as needed to ensure adults understand their medical care
McGregor PACE—and the entire McGregor organization—has long supported a culturally sensitive approach to aging services. In Spring 2021, The McGregor Foundation awarded a grant to Smart Development, a local organization that focuses on serving refugees, immigrants, and racial and ethnic minorities with everything they need to improve their quality of life: proper resources, language assistance services, and much more.
Our efforts to take a culturally sensitive approach to our work are ongoing, and it must be a conscious, continuous effort. When possible, we must learn from each other and improve our practices to best serve all older adults in our communities.