Education and employment of refugees and migrants in the formal elderly healthcare sector: results from an online survey in Italy

The increase in older people with long-term care needs and the shortfall in the formal elderly healthcare workforce are questioning the healthcare system sustainability in Italy. Migrants have been employed for many years in the informal care sector as live-in carers often experience unfair working conditions. Appropriate training can help migrants and refugees enter the formal care sector, improve their quality of life, and bring new workforce into the hospital wards and nursing homes. This study is aimed at understanding practices and difficulties of educational and elderly healthcare organisations in training and employing migrants and refugees in Italy, and the latter’s educational needs. An online survey, carried out in Spring 2021, reached 17 care facilities managers, 13 educational organisations and five migrants/refugees, who answered three different questionnaires with close and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analysed statistically and qualitative data by means of the content analysis. Findings showed the need for training specifically designed for migrants and refugees, focusing on language, healthcare terminology and culture of the host country, and on care provider organisations working culture, mission, and vision. Suggestions for boosting migrant and refugees’ elderly care education are given to policy makers, elderly care facilities and training organisations.