Understanding the Immigrant Experience and Reducing Social Isolation Among Older Immigrant Adults in the U.S.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Rie Kobayashi
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
5-8-2024 9:00 AM
End Date
5-8-2024 10:45 AM
Location
PUB NCR
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Social Work
Abstract
The United States has the highest number of immigrants globally, with 50,661,149 people as of 2019, representing 19.1% of the 244 million international migrants worldwide and 14.4% of the United States population. Many are forcibly displaced from their home countries, and their age group ranges from infants to older adults. While many American older adults face social isolation, it happens at a much higher rate among immigrant older adults due to language barriers, loss of identity, and, at times, transnational grief. Yet, more research is needed on older immigrant experiences and their unique challenges. The research method for this project was a literature review of available journal articles in the EWU database. I also attended an aging conference and concentrated on presentations focused on immigrant/migrant older adult's experiences. While there is much more research to be done to understand the immigrant experience and reduce social isolation among older immigrant adults, research suggested that incorporating a trauma-informed approach and implementing culturally responsive programs and policies, such as multilingual staff or the use of interpreters, can aid in reducing social isolation and create social support among this population.
Recommended Citation
Mejia, Margot, "Understanding the Immigrant Experience and Reducing Social Isolation Among Older Immigrant Adults in the U.S." (2024). 2024 Symposium. 35.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/ps_2024/p1_2024/35
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Understanding the Immigrant Experience and Reducing Social Isolation Among Older Immigrant Adults in the U.S.
PUB NCR
The United States has the highest number of immigrants globally, with 50,661,149 people as of 2019, representing 19.1% of the 244 million international migrants worldwide and 14.4% of the United States population. Many are forcibly displaced from their home countries, and their age group ranges from infants to older adults. While many American older adults face social isolation, it happens at a much higher rate among immigrant older adults due to language barriers, loss of identity, and, at times, transnational grief. Yet, more research is needed on older immigrant experiences and their unique challenges. The research method for this project was a literature review of available journal articles in the EWU database. I also attended an aging conference and concentrated on presentations focused on immigrant/migrant older adult's experiences. While there is much more research to be done to understand the immigrant experience and reduce social isolation among older immigrant adults, research suggested that incorporating a trauma-informed approach and implementing culturally responsive programs and policies, such as multilingual staff or the use of interpreters, can aid in reducing social isolation and create social support among this population.
