The Experiences of Native Irish speaking Older Adults Navigating Healthcare Services.

Aim: This research aims to understand the experiences of native Irish speaking older adults navigating healthcare services in Ireland.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews in the Irish language were conducted with seven participants. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. Data was coded and analysed using MAXQDA® software and thematic analysis.

Results: Two major themes were identified: 1) Factors influencing the relationship between patients and HCPs (2) What's more important? A doctor or an Irish speaker? Shared communications preferences were discussed but above all, participants preferred if HCPs were proficient in both Irish and English.

Discussion: Language discordant care exists in rural Gaeltacht areas. Bilingualism does not completely mitigate language barriers in Gaeltacht area healthcare settings, as some HCPs are neither fluent in English nor Irish. Opinions around the use of interpreters are mixed. All participants expressed the value of direct communication between patient and provider. This study highlights the need for language concordant care to be available for native Irish speaking older adults living in rural Gaeltacht areas, and further emphasises the importance of language concordant care for minority language speaking populations. The findings of this study provide an insight into the lives of native Irish speaking older adults navigating the healthcare system and contribute to understanding an underserved patient group.