Indigenous peoples’ experiences and preferences in aged residential care: a systematic review

Abstract

Although the demand for aged residential care increases, low use of aged residential care by Indigenous people raises questions about unrecognised barriers to health care. The objectives of this systematic literature review are to (a) examine current scientific literature that reports older Indigenous people’s experiences in aged residential care and (b) describe critical factors that shape Indigenous people’s preferences in aged residential care settings. We conducted a systematic review of studies using an online search of the literature. A total of 6,233 citations were retrieved, and 45 studies examined in full-text. Eight studies met the study inclusion criteria. Indigenous older people were found to be younger, had higher prevalence of complex health conditions, and were less likely to receive dental and mental health services on admission to aged residential care. Their preferences for care were more likely to be evident in aged residential care facilities where the Indigenous composition of staff reflected the Indigenous makeup of its residents.