MAMH Blog: Nandy Barbosa (MSW’23) Reflects on Impact of Culturally Responsive Healthcare
Nandy Barbosa (MSW’23), intern for The Center for Aging & Disability Education & Research (CADER), was interviewed by the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health (MAMH) about her experiences with culturally responsive healthcare specific to her Cape Verdean heritage. Barbosa discusses how her grandmother receives care from institutions like Cape Verdean Adult Day Health (CVADH) and her desire to provide similar help to elders in her community. Barbosa believes a more diverse healthcare workforce can better serve communities and address their needs.
Excerpt from “Culturally Responsive Aging and Mental Health Services”, originally posted in MAMH Blog:
For older adults who do not speak English, being able to advocate for their needs can become an unbearable task. Many people, even some who can speak English, but cannot read or write, will call me so that I can help them reapply for MassHealth or put together documents for housing, food stamps, or other personal care services.
Some of these individuals don’t want to ask a busy family member, so they try to figure it out themselves, which sometimes means asking a case manager to help. Being a case manager who can speak the language is beneficial to the older adults I serve, because I am able not only to speak and understand their languages, but I am also able to be culturally responsive to their needs.”