Training Culturally Competent Direct Care Workers: Key Considerations for Long-Term Services and Supports Providers
Direct care workers provide very personal long-term services and supports (LTSS) in a range of settings, often among their clients’ family and friends. Cultural competence – the ability to work effectively in cross-cultural situations – therefore is a key part of establishing trust and respect between direct care workers and their clients. Direct care workers trained in culturally competent approaches are better able to deliver person-centered care to individuals from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds, including different races or ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, or genders.