ABSTRACT
For several years COHME had occasionally provided short-term aide help to seniors at James Lenox House when they were temporarily ill following hospitalization or a sudden at-home illness. The group leaders felt that the production of a video in which both the white elderly and their black aides frankly discussed their perceptions of one another would be helpful in planning future Cluster Care work together. The taped group of white residents and black aides together showed that despite cultural differences they had many concerns in common: racism, inadequate health care, family issues, finances, religion, women’s issues, ageism, self-acceptance, housing concerns, crime, and violence. The residents, in addition, expressed concern about dependency and illness. The aides, in addition, expressed concerns about unemployment and showed signs of low self-esteem. Given the fact that most home health care workers in New York City are black, confronting racial prejudices is a prerequisite for a successful home care plan.
