Experiences of Family Caregivers Supporting Older Adults With Limited English Proficiency in Accessing Preventive Healthcare: A Qualitative Interpretive Study

This study explored how immigrant family caregivers support older immigrant adults with limited English proficiency (LEP) in using primary and preventive care and how these roles shape caregivers’ lives. A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted with 32 immigrant family caregivers of older adults with LEP in the United States, purposively recruited from prior LEP-focused studies. Participants completed one interview, and data were analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological, descriptive thematic approach. Caregivers described extensive, often invisible work as decisionmakers, system navigators, interpreters, cultural brokers, and emotional and transportation support, frequently conflicting with employment and family obligations and contributing to strain, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and ambivalence about parents’ migration. Repeated communication problems and perceived disrespect fostered mistrust of healthcare institutions, shaping preventive care engagement. Immigrant family caregivers act as pivotal intermediaries who compensate for structural language and access barriers, underscoring the need for language-concordant, culturally responsive, caregiver-inclusive services and stronger work–care supports.