VIA – Enhancing Health and Integration of Older Migrants

Background:

Older migrants in Switzerland face increased health and social vulnerability. Language barriers, low health literacy, and lack of networks hinder access to prevention and care. Their population share is growing. VIA addresses this gap with an innovative, culturally sensitive approach combining information, activation, and participation. The project aligns with HELA’s focus on “Integrated approaches to health and well-being across the lifespan” and promotes healthy ageing in marginalized groups.

Methods:

The five-month preliminary study, running until the end of 2025, includes qualitative interviews and a co-design workshop with older migrants. Using the Critical Incident technique, the study explores barriers, needs, and everyday experiences. Participants are recruited through community centers, migrant associations, specialist organizations, and social media. The findings will inform the development of a language-independent, culturally sensitive prototype, which will be tested iteratively with users.

Reults:

Access to the Swiss healthcare system is associated with significant barriers for many older migrants. Our pilot study VIA shows that language is not the only barrier. Based on 11 interviews and a co-creation workshop with 7 participants, we found that older migrants in Switzerland also face gaps in health literacy, concerns about costs, and issues of trust. Relatives often take on the role of interpreters, which is burdensome. Participants emphasized the need for simple, voice-based tools, pictograms for describing symptoms, and bilingual outputs. Building on this, we developed a web-based prototype that enables documentation of symptoms via an interactive body map and the generation of a bilingual PDF summary. This digital-to-analog feature strengthens trust, saves doctors time, and ensures that critical worries are not lost due to time pressure or language barriers.

Impact:

Access to the Swiss healthcare system is associated with significant barriers for many older migrants. Our pilot study VIA shows that language is not the only barrier. Based on 11 interviews and a co-creation workshop with 7 participants, we found that older migrants in Switzerland also face gaps in health literacy, concerns about costs, and issues of trust. Relatives often take on the role of interpreters, which is burdensome. Participants emphasized the need for simple, voice-based tools, pictograms for describing symptoms, and bilingual outputs. Building on this, we developed a web-based prototype that enables documentation of symptoms via an interactive body map and the generation of a bilingual PDF summary. This digital-to-analog feature strengthens trust, saves doctors time, and ensures that critical worries are not lost due to time pressure or language barriers.

Project lead:

Dr. sc. nat., Sarah Speck / IAF Institut für Altersforschung