How can we ensure that elderly immigrants receive better home care?

The organisation Thuiszorg Hanimeli ('Homecare Hanimeli'), active in Enschede and Almelo, is geared towards providing care for elderly immigrants. Hanimeli offers care in the client's mother language, and the organisation takes the client's religious and cultural norms and values into consideration when providing care services. Elderly immigrants rarely use conventional home care; volunteer caregivers such as family members or neighbours perform some caregiving tasks, but there are still many elderly immigrants who receive little or no help. Thuiszorg Hanimeli aims to provide them with the care they require.

In 2006, Kifayet Aykaç founded Thuiszorg Hanimeli. Hanimeli is Turkish for 'the helping woman's hand'. The organisation was an immediate success; at the moment it employs more than sixty women. Hanimeli's goal is to offer care that complements the client's cultural and religious norms and values. The caregivers all have immigrant backgrounds, speak the client's language and better understand the specific care needs of the elderly immigrants.

Thuiszorg Hanimeli offers:

Homecare Hanimeli
The Netherlands

01/12/2006

case

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration > Quality of life

Health