More Research is Needed to Understand the Impact of Language Discordance in Long-Term Care in Canada

There is consistent evidence highlighting the risks of language barriers and discordance to quality care and patient safety, especially in primary care and hospital settings. However, there has been limited research on the impact of language barriers and discordance on quality care for older individuals residing in long-term care. In this commentary, we highlight select studies on differences in health care access and outcomes that linguistic minorities experience in Canadian long-term care homes, and discuss the importance of tackling language barriers and discordance to equitable long-term care. This article reflects on the impact of language discordance in health care, an identified determinant of health disparities, and calls for further research on health inequity experienced by older adults in Canada as well as strategies toward more equitable care.