Social Workers’ Attempts to Navigate Among the Elderly, Their Families, and Foreign Home Care Workers in the Haredi Community

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: The study’s aim is to examine social workers’ experience in facilitating the integration of foreign home care workers (FHCWs) into the ultraorthodox Jewish (UOJ) community for the purpose of treating older adults. Method: Using the qualitative-phenomenological approach, semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 social workers in daily contact with UOJ older adult clients in the process of integrating FHCWs. Results: Data analysis revealed three central themes—integrating FHCWs into the aging UOJ family: barriers and challenges in the interaction between the two worlds; “even the rabbi has a FHCW”: changing trends in caring for older adults; and the social worker as mediator and facilitator of a successful relationship. Discussion: Social workers play a central role, serving as a cultural bridge in the process of integrating FHCWs, as a way of addressing the needs of ultraorthodox elderly and their families, while also considering the needs of the foreign workers.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)617-638
Number of pages22
JournalJournal of Applied Gerontology
Volume38
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 May 2019

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2017.

Keywords

  • aged care
  • culture
  • qualitative research
  • religion
  • social work

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Gerontology
  • Geriatrics and Gerontology

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