Understandings of ethnic 'otherness' in need assessment practices

This presentation departs from the research gaps that exist in the debate on institutional categorization as far as the implications of ethnic ‘otherness’ are concerned. There is also a gap in the manner in which such understandings affect the political economy of care and there is also a lack of research on the intersection between ethnic 'Otherness' and old age. The project upon which this presentation is based departs from all of these debates and focuses on need assessment practice within the context of Swedish elderly care. As such, it aims to contribute to research on images of old age as these are constructed through welfare sector practices. At stake are the following research questions: do understandings of cross-cultural care interaction and ethnic ‘Otherness’ affect the manner in which need assessment processes legitimize and restrict access to certain elderly care services and if so, how. The data for this project is comprised of focus group interviews with need assessors (a total of 60 have been interviewed) as well as a total of 200 need assessment journals. The findings suggest that need assessors’ understandings of ethnic 'Otherness' do affect the need assessment process and that alternative elderly care services are being designed as a result of it. Need assessment practices differentiate between older people with migrant backgrounds and those who belong to the ethnic majority population. As such the findings suggest that need asessors' understandings of old age differ depending on which other social positions elderly people 'inhabit'. The presentation will contribute to the debate on institutional categorization and how lack of an awareness of the implications on ethnic ‘Otherness’ influence power differentials in old age.