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Institutional Racism in Old Age: Theoretical Perspectives and a Case Study About Access to Social Services

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Micheal J. MacLean ,
Nancy Siew ,
Dawn Fowler  and
Ian Graham
Micheal J. MacLean
Affiliation:
McGill University
Nancy Siew
Affiliation:
McGill University
Dawn Fowler
Affiliation:
McGill University
Ian Graham
Affiliation:
McGill University
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Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of access to social and health services of elderly people at three community and social service centres (CLSCs) in Montreal. Workers at the CLSCs were interviewed about service accessibility for elderly people in their neighbourhood. The elderly clientele of one CLSC, located in the centre of Montreal, primarily consists of French-Canadians and English-Canadians; the second CLSC is in a neighbourhood with many elderly Portuguese and the third CLSC is in a neighbourhood where a large concentration of elderly Chinese people live. No problems of access to services were perceived for elderly French-Canadian, English-Canadian or Portuguese people while serious problems of access were perceived for elderly Chinese people. Services provided for elderly people of the dominant cultures and elderly Portuguese are limited or unavailable to elderly Chinese people of Montreal. This suggests institutional racism against elderly Chinese people.

Résumé

Le présent article propose une analyse de l'accès des services communautaires aux personnes âgées dans trois centres locaux de services communautaires à Montréal. Nous avons interrogé les travailleurs de ces CLSC sur l'accessibilité de leurs services aux gens âgés de leur quartier. La clientèle âgée de l'un de ces CLSC, situé au centre de Montréal, se compose avant tout de Canadiens-français et d'Anglo-canadiens; le deuxième CLSC se trouve dans un quartier où réside un grand nombre de personnes âgées d'origine portugaise, le troisième CLSC étant situé dans un quartier à dominance chinoise. Aucun problème d'accessibilité n'a été constaté chez les Canadiens-français, les Anglo-canadiens ou les Portugais, ce qui n'a pas été le cas des personnes âgées d'origine chinoise. C'est ainsi que les prestations offertes aux personnes âgées des deux cultures dominantes et aux personnes âgées d'origine portugaise ne sont pas offertes, ou à titre extrêmement restreint, aux personnes âgées d'origine chinoise vivant à Montréal. Cela donne à penser qu'il existe un racisme institutionnel à l'égard des personnes âgées d'origine chinoise.

Keywords

agingethnicityracismsocial servicescommunity health services
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , Summer/l'été 1987 , pp. 128 - 140
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1987

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References

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