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Visiting McCain Scholar Dr Chen-Fen Yvonne Chen presents on aging populations long-term care and a migrant workforce

Author: Communications

Posted on Feb 18, 2016

Category: UNB Fredericton

Dr. Chen-Fen (Yvonne) Chen, a Harrison McCain Foundation visiting professor from Taiwan’s Chinese Culture University will present a colloquium on Feb. 19, 2016, from 3:30 – 5 pm at Keirstead Hall on UNB’s Fredericton campus. The title of her presentation will be: “Insider or outsider: Does it matter? A study on the situations and policies affecting migrant care workers in Taiwan’s long-term care system from an occupational segregation perspective.”

Dr. Chen is currently collaborating with Dr. Lynne Gouliquer, UNB honorary research associate, and Dr. Carmen Poulin, associate dean of UNB’s faculty of arts, on a cross-cultural comparison of the experience of older individuals (85-90+ years) aging at home and accessing care. Their goal is to examine the similarities and differences between the Taiwanese and Canadian contexts and gain new insights regarding the experiences of older individuals aging in place.

Dr. Chen is a renowned international researcher in the field of long-term care and has completed large studies in Taiwan and abroad. One of Taiwan’s two principal approaches to responding to the needs of an aging population relies on migrant care workers. Taiwan foreign caregivers represent a readily available short-term labour force to assist in bearing the responsibilities of older adult care. Dr. Chen will present her research regarding this particular strategy and how these concerns could apply to the Canadian context.

According to UNB’s Dr. Poulin, it’s a topic that resonates for a lot of us here at home.

“Anyone who is concerned about long-term care for our aging population – for instance, students in gerontology at St. Thomas University, sociologists, psychologists, social workers, policy makers, nurses or any person who has interest in health, aging and home care – and wants to gain knowledge about how another country has dealt with it, is encouraged to attend the presentation,” Dr. Poulin said.

Dr. Chen will also present on the status of Taiwan’s foreign care workers and their influx into the secondary labor market. The presentation will focus on the need to document changes associated with importing workers into the secondary labor market in order to develop concrete, effective long-term care labour plans and retention policies.

Media contact: Tabatha Armstrong