Aging amongst immigrants in Canada: population drift

Abstract

In Canada, two interesting demographic trends have been underway: an aging population and a growth based upon immigration. These patterns combine to form a new group that seems to have evaded notice. According to the 2001 Census of Canada, immigrants are older than the national average and almost 31% of the immigrants from Europe are over 65 years of age. Of the total senior population, 28.4% are immigrants with 5% of Asian descent. Overall, 7.2% of the senior’s population is a visible minority. These patterns have implications for policy development and service delivery. As immigrants age in Canada, they will have very different expectations for services than non-immigrants and immigrants who aged in their home country. This paper offers recommendations for policy planners and service providers in health and social welfare services.

The Role of Cultural and Family Values on Social Connectedness and Loneliness among Ethnic Minority Elders

“…Immigration, and a growth in the ageing population are two demographic trends contributing to the increasing population of ethnic minority elders in Canada (Durst, 2005).…”

Trends in the residential mobility of seniors in Canada, 1961–2006

“…The motivation for seniors who migrate to Canada from other countries typically involves family reunification to join adult children who have migrated previously to Canada. Seniors who come to Canada from other countries tend to do so in early old age around the time of retirement (Northcott 1988; Durst 2005; see Treas and Batalova 2009 for a similar pattern in the US).…”

“…Given current migration patterns, the proportion of seniors in the US who are foreign‐born and the diversity of these seniors in terms of country of origin are expected to increase well into the twenty‐first century. In Canada, high rates of in‐migration in recent years (of migrants of all ages) and the frequency of aging parents moving to Canada to join their adult children who have migrated previously (Boyd and Vickers 2000; Durst 2005) indicate the importance of the international in‐migration of seniors for the concentration and distribution of seniors in Canada.…”

Qualitative studies using in‐depth interviews with older people from multiple language groups: methodological systematic review

“…The proportion of older people from minority ethnic groups has been projected to increase significantly over the next few decades in Australia (Gibson et al. 2001), England and Wales (Lievesley 2010), Canada (Durst 2005) and the United States of America (USA) (Vincent & Velkoff 2010). Ethnic health inequalities have been well described for numerous health conditions (Green et al.…”

“…International migration and the ageing of populations have created a growing need for healthcare research to address issues relevant to contemporary older multicultural communities. The proportion of older people from minority ethnic groups has been projected to increase significantly over the next few decades in Australia (Gibson et al 2001), England and Wales (Lievesley 2010), Canada (Durst 2005) and the United States of America (USA) (Vincent & Velkoff 2010). Ethnic health inequalities have been well described for numerous health conditions (Green et al 2003, Sheikh & Griffiths 2005, Minor et al 2008, Danielson et al 2010 and treatments (Shavers & Brown 2002, Hall-Lipsy & Chisholm-Burns 2010.…”