Race Relations and Caregiving Relationships

Abstract

This study explored the effects of racial differences between nursing home residents and nurse’s aides. One-third of residents exhibited race-related attitudes. This took two forms: “anachronistic racism,” language not acceptable today, used in a context not intended to be offensive, and its opposite form, “malignant racism.” Three-quarters of the aides had experienced racism on the job. They distinguished the two forms of racism and discounted racist comments by residents they judged to be mentally incompetent but held others—competent residents, family members, and fellow staff—to a higher standard. In this way, they were able to maintain a caring attitude in their work. Foreign-born aides were more likely to experience racism on the job than African American aides were. They also experienced prejudice against immigrants; they interpreted it as such because it sometimes came from people of their own race.