Communication strategies used by Australian residential aged care staff with residents with limited English proficiency

Global migration and an ageing world population have increased demand in Residential Aged Care (RAC) services for older adults that do not speak the national language. A range of strategies may help overcome this linguistic barrier, but the frequency of use of different strategies is currently unknown. This study therefore aimed to profile the communication strategies currently used by staff in Australian RAC homes when interacting with residents with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 52 service and care staff in Australian RAC homes who had interacted with residents with LEP from March – September 2023. Participant demographics, frequency and type of interactions, and use and perception of communication strategies were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Simplified spoken English, non-verbal communication, and using words in residents’ languages were used at least weekly by most respondents for 8 of 10 care interaction types. Most participants had never used professional interpreters despite a willingness to use them in the future and 14 participants reported using Google Translate, perceiving it as an accurate and useful translation tool.
The significant reliance on simplified English, non-verbal communication and words or phrases in residents’ preferred languages and underutilization of professional interpreters, contrary to industry guidelines, creates a significant risk of miscommunication when addressing complex care needs with residents. Further work is needed to raise awareness of underutilized and effective communication tools including free translation and interpretation services within Australian RAC homes to improve the quality of care for residents with LEP.