Finding a Sense of Home across the Pacific in Old Age- Chinese American Senior's Report of Life Satisfaction in a Foreign Land.

Finding a sense of home for international migrants is challenging. It is even more so for older adults who migrate to a foreign country later in life to follow their adult children. This study examines Chinese immigrant elders' report of their sense of home and life-satisfaction. Based on 21 intensi...

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Published in:Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 31 - 56
Main Authors: Zhan, Heying, Wang, Qi, Fawcett, Zoe, Li, Xiaoqing, Fan, Xiying, Zhan, Heying Jenny
Format: Journal Article
Published: Springer Nature Mar2017
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      pub: Springer Nature
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        atl: Finding a Sense of Home across the Pacific in Old Age- Chinese American Senior's Report of Life Satisfaction in a Foreign Land.
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          Zhan, Heying
          Wang, Qi
          Fawcett, Zoe
          Li, Xiaoqing
          Fan, Xiying
          Zhan, Heying Jenny
        affil: Georgia State University , Atlanta USA
      sug:
        subj:
          Quality of Life Psychosocial Factors
          Asians Psychosocial Factors
          Support, Psychosocial
          Personal Satisfaction
          Migrants Psychosocial Factors
          Immigrants Psychosocial Factors
          Middle Age
          Migrants Statistics and Numerical Data
          United States
          China Ethnology
          Qualitative Studies
          Adult
          Male
          Aged
          Female
          Multivariate Analysis
          Child
          Interviews
          Asians Statistics and Numerical Data
          Immigrants Statistics and Numerical Data
          Communication Barriers
          Social Readjustment Rating Scale
          Middle Aged: 45-64 years
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Aged: 65+ years
          Child: 6-12 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: Finding a sense of home for international migrants is challenging. It is even more so for older adults who migrate to a foreign country later in life to follow their adult children. This study examines Chinese immigrant elders' report of their sense of home and life-satisfaction. Based on 21 intensive interviews and107 surveys with elderly immigrants of Chinese descent, this research finds that a comfortable living condition in a natural and built environment contribute to Chinese elders' narrative of a sense of home. The lack of English language, however, makes immigrant Chinese elders feel very unsettled. Being together with children and having good social benefits are major pull factors that contribute to immigrant elders' decision to settle down in a foreign country. Those who report a stronger sense of home tend to report a higher level of life satisfaction. In conclusion, the authors argue that immigrant elders are defining their sense of home with a greater sense of independence from their adult children. Favorable social policies toward older adults, such as Medicare, Medicaid, low income housing, and social services, are important factors that make older immigrants feel a sense of home in a foreign land, although the inability to communicate is a barrier to a complete sense of home for transnational migrants in old age.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype: Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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