Other Titles
Supporting Socialization & Expression in Long-Term Care: A Scoping Review of Language Barriers & Older Adults [Poster Title]
Other Titles
Rising Star Poster/Presentation
Abstract
Communication is central to socialization and the expression of cultural identity [7]. In multilingual societies such as Canada, language barriers can hinder full integration, affecting social participation and overall quality of life [6,7,9]. The proposed study focuses on language barriers faced by minority older adults in long-term care settings. Non-English speaking residents who face barriers in communication and lack the adequate support necessary to overcome them, become vulnerable to impaired meaningful interactions and social isolation [3,11]. This study plans to gather and review existing scientific literature on how these barriers affect older adults and impact their socialization needs. A scoping review research methodology will be used to identify and review articles commenting on language use and problems from linguistic diversity [1]. The study will include articles focused on language’s impact on communication for adults over 65 who have lived in long-term care for more than 6 months. The impact of language barriers on women will be conducted as a sub-inquiry of the literature review, and included studies must report participants’ gender [2,10]. Themes relating to women and socialization will be separately coded to identify the impact of language barriers on women's experiences of socialization, social isolation, and associated difficulties with personal/cultural expression [2,10]. The study will also explore literature that discusses solutions to these barriers, aiming to summarize empirical strategies for improving communication in diverse environments [5]. By analyzing published findings, the study will define issues present when communication barriers exist and describe their effects on older adults. This will provide a guide for future research on bridging language gaps. Ultimately, the study aims to promote discussion of language’s role in residents’ expression and socialization, highlighting how language barriers affect their overall well-being. With these findings, we can start to bridge gaps with efficient, evidence-informed solutions.
Notes
References:
[1] Aromataris, E., Lockwood, C., Porritt, K., Pilla, B., & Jordan, Z. (Eds). (2024). JBI manual for evidence synthesis. DOI:10.46658/jbimes-24-01
[2] Bedrov, A., & Gable, S. L. (2023). Thriving together: the benefits of women's social ties for physical, psychological and relationship health. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, 378(1868), 20210441. DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0441
[3] Bennett, M. K., Ward, E. C., & Scarinci, N.A. (2016). Exploratory investigation of communication management in residential-aged care: A comparison of staff knowledge, documentation and observed resident–staff communication. International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 51, 296-309. DOI: 10.1111/1460-6984.12207
[4] Family Councils Ontario. (2025). About Family Councils Ontario. Fco.ngo/about. Government of Ontario. (2021). French Language Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.32. Ontario.ca/laws/statute/07l08#BK6
[5] Henderson, S., Kendall, E., & See, L. (2011), The effectiveness of culturally appropriate interventions to manage or prevent chronic disease in culturally and linguistically diverse communities: A systematic literature review. Health & Social Care in the Community, 19, 225-249. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2524.2010.00972.x
[6] Inutiq, S. (2015). If you cannot communicate with your patient, your patient is not safe: Systemic investigation report – Investigation into the Qikiqtani general hospital’s compliance with the Official Languages Act, R.S.N.W.T. 1988 [PDF]. Government of Nunavut - Office of the Languages Commissioner of Nunavut
[7] Jacobs, E., Chen, A. H., Karliner, L. S., Agger-Gupta, N., & Mutha, S. (2006). The need for more research on language barriers in health care: A proposed research agenda. The Milbank Quarterly, 84, 111-133. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-0009.2006.00440.x
[8] Ontario Long Term Care Home Association. (2025). The Data: Long-Term Care in Ontario. Oltca.com/about-long-term-care/the-data/
[9] Perkins, J. (2003). Ensuring linguistic access in health care settings: An overview of current legal rights and responsibilities [PDF]. Kaiser Family Foundations
[10] Shin, H., & Park, C. (2023). Gender differences in social networks and physical and mental health: Are social relationships more health protective in women than in men?. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1216032. DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1216032
[11] Small, J., Chan, S.M., Drance, E., Globerman, J., Hulko, W., O’Connor, D., Perry, J., Stern, L., & Ho, L. (2015). Verbal and nonverbal indicators of quality of communication between care staff and residents in ethnoculturally and linguistically diverse long-term care settings. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 30, 285–304. DOI: 10.1007/s10823-015-9269-6
Sigma Membership
Iota Omicron
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Long Term Care, Long Term Care--In Old Age, Socialization, Communication Barriers
Recommended Citation
Oleynikov, Christina and McIntyre, Amanda, "Supporting Socialization & Expression in LTC: A Scoping Review of Language Barriers & Older Adults" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 138.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/posters_2026/138
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Invited Presentation
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-10-01
Supporting Socialization & Expression in LTC: A Scoping Review of Language Barriers & Older Adults
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Communication is central to socialization and the expression of cultural identity [7]. In multilingual societies such as Canada, language barriers can hinder full integration, affecting social participation and overall quality of life [6,7,9]. The proposed study focuses on language barriers faced by minority older adults in long-term care settings. Non-English speaking residents who face barriers in communication and lack the adequate support necessary to overcome them, become vulnerable to impaired meaningful interactions and social isolation [3,11]. This study plans to gather and review existing scientific literature on how these barriers affect older adults and impact their socialization needs. A scoping review research methodology will be used to identify and review articles commenting on language use and problems from linguistic diversity [1]. The study will include articles focused on language’s impact on communication for adults over 65 who have lived in long-term care for more than 6 months. The impact of language barriers on women will be conducted as a sub-inquiry of the literature review, and included studies must report participants’ gender [2,10]. Themes relating to women and socialization will be separately coded to identify the impact of language barriers on women's experiences of socialization, social isolation, and associated difficulties with personal/cultural expression [2,10]. The study will also explore literature that discusses solutions to these barriers, aiming to summarize empirical strategies for improving communication in diverse environments [5]. By analyzing published findings, the study will define issues present when communication barriers exist and describe their effects on older adults. This will provide a guide for future research on bridging language gaps. Ultimately, the study aims to promote discussion of language’s role in residents’ expression and socialization, highlighting how language barriers affect their overall well-being. With these findings, we can start to bridge gaps with efficient, evidence-informed solutions.
Description
Communication is central to socialization and the expression of identity. This study examines how language barriers affect non-English speaking minority older adults in long-term care. When residents cannot communicate effectively and lack support, they experience reduced interaction, social isolation, and limited expression of identity. Using a scoping review method, the study analyzes language use and communication challenges among older adults to bridge gaps with evidence-informed solutions.