Indicators for monitoring the integration of elderly migrants in the municipal infrastructure for elder-care

In the context of demographic ageing, municipalities are tasked with ensuring cross-sectoral care services for the elderly close to residential environments so that elderly people can remain in their own domestic environment as long as possible. A particular challenge is the inclusion of the migrant population, which is often still inadequate. Indicators for the municipal monitoring of integration have been developed on the basis of surveys of experts . The interviews dealt with (a) the knowledge of available data and the data necessary for monitoring the integration of elderly with a migrant background and (b) the use of integration monitoring as an instrument in the planning of elderly care and, if available, the indicators used. Guideline-based interviews with 76 members from community elder care and integration work in 16 German municipalities were conducted, transcribed and analysed. The results were discussed in two focus groups, each with nine experts. (a) Data deficits prevent the migrant-sensitive orientation of planning and control in elder care; (b) only the beginnings of community integration monitoring in elderly care are established in a few communities; (c) 18 indicators for integration monitoring of migrant sensitive elder care have been developed. Deficits in the integration of migrants into community care structures can be addressed by integration monitoring of elder care. The selection and use of some or all of the indicators developed requires that consent be sought in municipalities with the inclusion especially of migrant organisations.