Scoping review protocol: what is the state of evidence for the use of communication apps with immigrant seniors in long-term care and community settings?

introductionFirst language care is critical for older immigrant adults with limited English proficiency, especially in long-term care settings where most residents require staff assistance and experience complex chronic conditions, resulting in multiple communication interactions where language poses a barrier. Although there are a myriad of cultural-language translation apps and devices available, there is a gap in both research and practice on the acceptability and feasibility of these digital resources within the context of long-term care and community settings for older immigrant adults, from a cultural relevance and digital health equity perspective. Our paper outlines a scoping review protocol to examine the state of the literature on the extent to which cultural-language translation apps are used in long-term care settings and community-based elder care. We will also examine the extent to which such apps bridge or further gaps in equitable, accessible and acceptable care for older immigrant adults with limited English language proficiency. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This scoping review protocol will employ an adapted five-stage framework outlined by Arksey and O'Malley guided by enhancements recommended by Levac ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not required for this scoping review as it involves secondary analysis of published works and no primary data collection involving human subjects. Findings of the review will be shared with community partners and disseminated through publications, conferences and peer-reviewed publications.