Exploring Differences in Resources and Opportunities Among Immigrant Seniors
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SHAPING THE MEANING OF OLD AGE: Exploring Differences In Resources And Opportunities Among Immigrant Seniors Carol Martyn B.A., Simon Fraser University, 1990 THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF Master of Arts in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology 63 Carol Martyn 1993 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY April 1993 All rights reserved. This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part. by photocopy or other means, without permission of the author. Approval Name,: Carol Ma-tyn Degree: Master of Arts Title of thesis: Shaping the Meaning of Old Age: Exploring Differences in Resources and Opportunities among Immigrant Seniors Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. Ian Angus Dr. Ellen Gee \J Professor Department of Sociology & Anthropology Senior Supervisor ,# ,# 8 - ~Wne~ul$qham Assistant Professor Department of Sociology & Anthropology - Dr. Joan Anderson Professor School of Nursing University of British Columbia External Examiner I hereby grant to Simon Fraser University the right to lend my thesis, project or extended essay (the title of which is shown below) to users of the Simon Fraser University Library, and to make partial or single copies only for such users or in response to a request from the library of any other university, or other educational institution, on its own behalf or for one of its users. I further agree that permission for multiple copying of this work for scholarly purposes may be granted by me or the Dean of Graduate Studies. It is understood that copying of publication of this work for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Title of ThesislProjectlExtended Essay Shaping the Meaning of Old Age! Exploring Differences in Resources and Opportunities among Immigrant Seniors Author: Carol Anne Martyn (Name) April 6th, 1993 (Date) Abstract Due to the liberalization of immigration policy in the late 19601s,a growing segment of Canada's aging population consists of first-generation Canadians who emigrated from countries linguistically and culturally different from Canada. However, to date, few studies have focused on this segment. This study focuses on immigrant seniors, investigating factors that may influence their attitudes toward old age. The theoretical orientation of this thesis is resource theory as articulated by Williamson et al. (1982) in 'The Politics of Aging: Power and Policy' and, in Dowd's (1980) 'Stratification Among the Aged'. Dowd's approach focuses on the processes of exchange of resources, and permits a micro-level analysis, while assuming a stratification framework which takes into account economic and political structural forces. This study examines four social and economic resources: education, personal income, family authority and community integration. To explore macro-level constraints, the concept of opportunity structure is used. The main source of data is interviews that collected information from a sample of 250 suburban immigrant seniors, aged 55 and over. The sample was drawn from five ethnollinguistic groups: Portuguese, German, CantoneseJChinese, Korean, and Punjabi. To explore the social context of the respondents supplemental data were collected, including local historical and ethnographic studies, census data, and personal interviews with service providers working within each of the five groups. Findings indicate a strong association between each of the four resources and immigrant seniors' attitudes toward old age. However, inequality of opportunity for resources across ethnic groups, and between men and women in a number of the groups, suggests the need for a supplemental explanation of differences in attitudes toward old age. Dedication I would like to dedicate this work to my husband, my two children, my mother, and all my close family who have supported me through the long haul. I would also like to dedicate this to the older persons I met personally or through the stories told to me by the interviewers while researching this piece of work. I found a special dignity and courage in many of these persons. I hope that this study will benefit their lives in some way. I would like to acknowledge the support and assistance of my supervisors, especially the extra effort of Ellen Gee who patiently read and reread my work, offering her valuable suggestions. I would also like to acknowledge the staff of the Burnaby Multicultural Society for their continued support over the last three years, and specifically the extra assistance of Diane King, the Executive Director when the survey was being completed. Table of Contents .. Approval ......................................................................................................................... ...-11 Abstract .......................................................................................................................... 111 Dedication ....................................................................................................................... iv Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................... ...v List of Tables ............................................................................................................... vi~i... List of Figures .............................................................................................................. v111 I . Introduction .................................................................................................................1 Shaping the Meaning of Old Age ............................................................................. 1 Canadian Social Research on Aging and Ethnicity.................................................. 3 I1. Thesis Perspective ....................................................................................................... 7 Discussion of Theoretical Bias............................................................................... 12 Ethnogerontology ................................................................................................. 16 Education ................................................................................................... 16 Economic Status......................................................................................... 18 Community and Peer Involvement. ............................................................ 19 Family Relations - Authority, Status, and Power ....................................... 21 Summary and Discussion ....................................................................................... 22 Research Hypotheses ............................................................................................ 23 Thesis Concepts ..................................................................................................... 24 I11 . Research Methods .................................................................................................... 26 Survey Background ................................................................................................ 26 Project Design ........................................................................................................ 27 Community Involvement and Sampling Process ................................................... 28 . Interview Schedule and Pretest .............................................................................. 30 Interviewers and Translation of Interviews............................................................ 30 Project Advisory Committee and Distribution of Findings ................................... 32 Validity Considerations.......................................................................................... 33 Value-Free Research ..................................................................................33 InsiderIOutsider Research .......................................................................... 36 Measurement of Dependent and Independent Variables ........................................41 Methods of Data Analysis ...................................................................................... 43 Non-survey Data .................................................................................................... 43 Methodolo_eicalLimitations ................................................................................... 44 IV . Findings ...................................................................................................................46 Demographic Characteristics ................................................................................. 47 What Does Old Age Mean To You? ...................................................................... 51 Resources ............................................................................................................... 54 ............................................................................. Association. Between Resources 61 Opportunit~esand Resources.................................................................................. 67 A . The Germans - "We tried to hide being German." ........................................... 69 B . The Koreans - "Because I believe in God. I have no sad feelings toward old age." ......................................................................................... 75 C . The Chinese - "She is happy, her children live near by." ................................. 83 D . The Portuguese - "I was too busy, I had no time to learn English." .................90 E . The