A Case Study of Exploring Older Chinese Immigrants’ Social Support within a Chinese Church Community in the United States

Abstract

The number of older Chinese immigrants living in the United States is increasing steadily. They are faced with challenges to meet their needs for social support and are unlikely to turn to formal services. This case study utilizes an ecological framework to analyze social support among Chinese immigrants age 65 year and older within a Christian Chinese church community, and to explore the ways in which a Chinese church functions as the source of social support for older Chinese immigrants. Seven months of participant observation and ten face-to-face, in-depth interviews were conducted with 65+ Chinese adults who attended one Chinese church in the Southern United State and included questions concerning patterns of support and personal relationships within the church. Findings revealed that gender, living arrangements, working experiences, ability to drive, and English language skills were related to support the older Chinese immigrants sought, received, and provided. Although the Chinese church can be a viable source of supplementary support, some participants in this study felt the support they received from the church was insufficient, particularly in terms of emotional support. Therefore, suggestions are outlined that may assist Chinese churches to be more proactive in better understanding and providing services that meet the different needs and desires of older Chinese immigrants.

The Impact of Intergenerational Relationship on Health and Well‐Being of Older Chinese Americans

“…Our results also show that positive support from friends does moderate feelings of closeness with family members and self‐rated health status. Positive support from friends by these older immigrants is also positively correlated to self‐rated quality of life, echoing previous research on the positive impact of social networks and support from friends on the well‐being of older immigrants …”

“…Sense of control would also mediate effects on self‐rated health status and quality of life, a relationship supported by other scholars . This current study also examined the effect of support from friends (specifically, its moderating effects on intergenerational relationships and self‐rated health and quality of life) . Direct relationships between support from friends and self‐rated health status and quality of life were also assessed.…”

“…Although parent‐child relationships (eg, respect from children) remain important, Asian immigrants, including many older Chinese who are also immigrants, have adjusted their filial expectations and value independence . Previous studies also highlight the importance of peer networks, partner relationships, and emotional support for older immigrants' quality of life, including among older Chinese immigrants . The changing role of coresidence and familial support among Chinese and other Asian immigrants in relation to perceived quality of life was reported .…”

“…In the United States, studies show that older Asian immigrants are less likely to maintain a “traditional” lifestyle (ie, coresiding with children), due to changes in cultural and socioeconomic circumstances . Although parent‐child relationships (eg, respect from children) remain important, Asian immigrants, including many older Chinese who are also immigrants, have adjusted their filial expectations and value independence . Previous studies also highlight the importance of peer networks, partner relationships, and emotional support for older immigrants' quality of life, including among older Chinese immigrants .…”

Late-life Asian immigrants managing wellness through contributing to socially embedded networks

“…Supporting this notion, doing culturally meaningful occupations embedded in ethnic community cultural, and/or religious, organisations improved older Indian immigrants' health and well-being (Diwan, 2008) and quality of life (Mukherjee & Diwan, 2016), and older Korean immigrants' happiness, social connections, and psychosocial well-being (Kim, Kim, Han, & Chin 2015). Furthermore, the nature of the relationships and embeddedness in churchcentred activities were more important for older Chinese immigrants' feeling of belonging than was the duration of involvement in the Chinese church community in a southern US state (Liou & Shenk, 2016). Cook (2010) described co-ethnic social networks, enabled through community centres, as providing "places of shared language, interests and culturally appropriate and intimate support" (p. 267) for older immigrant women in the UK.…”