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Paper short abstract:

A comparative study of Australia and New Zealand aged care workers who provide essential ‘life support’ to vulnerable members of society during the pandemic, querying social resilience framework to support worker's wellbeing particularly those of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background.

Paper long abstract:

Across the Strait in both Australia and New Zealand, aged-care workers are classified as essential workers during the global pandemic providing ‘life support’ to one of the most vulnerable members of society yet essential support for the well being for these workers with an increase in workload are often lacking, particularly if they come from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse background (CALD). Previous research prior to the pandemic have highlighted the challenges CALD workers face including discrimination, lack of intercultural understanding and precarious employment conditions. A more recent pressing issue they face of gendered and racialised negative stereotyping due to media reporting of the global pandemic is also particularly salient with specific localized yet global context. Preliminary findings show that in the face of challenges such as social isolation they narrate how they value the employment opportunity in the health sector and more importantly, how they negotiate a sense of belonging locally and transnationally through online support network. Comparing studies in both countries provides an exploration of the types of ‘life support’ needed and potential social resilience of CALD aged care workers, which ultimately address endemic issues around quality of care in diverse and aging communities.