I read Rachel Faber Machacha’s column in Monday’s Daily about hiring immigrants to work in the nursing home field. While I totally agree with equal opportunities for all immigrants, I personally have run into a problem.

My father is an Alzheimer’s patient in St. Paul, Minn. Most of the aides in his facility are Jamaican, French Canadian and African. Combine the accents and different cultures with an already confused 82-year-old who hasn’t been exposed to the different cultures that our generation has – especially those of us who work on an international campus – and it spells trouble. It’s impossible for most of these seniors to understand what they’re being asked or told to do and they get further confused, extremely frustrated and sad.

The aides also get frustrated (and sometimes angry) because they’re not understood and the patients don’t do what is asked of them. I am all for immigrants being hired and welcome them to this country, but in the nursing home field I feel we have to take another look to further protect our elderly.

Joan Steffen-Baker

Sociology extensionz