The immigration experience among elderly Korean immigrants

Abstract

The purpose of this preliminary, qualitative study was to describe elderly Korean immigrants' perception of stressors they experienced through immigration and the acculturation process. The methodology used was naturalistic inquiry, a descriptive approach used to elicit the elderly immigrants' own perception of their immigration and acculturation experiences. The six elderly Korean immigrants were interviewed via a semi-structured, open-ended interview guide. The main stressors identified by the subjects as a result of adjusting to life in the United States were language barriers, isolation and loneliness, fear of dependence upon their children, fear of being a burden, financial problems, transportation problems, discrimination, and fear of death. These Korean elders also perceived changes in the traditional family values of respect for elders and support for the aged. The results of this research help to provide an understanding of the immigration and acculturation experiences of elderly Korean immigrants.

A Qualitative Study for Perceptions Toward Successful Aging Among Older Korean Immigrants in the United States

“…The City of Los Angeles and the New York City area have the largest number of Korean immigrants, which is estimated at over a million and half in those two areas. These two large metropolitan areas are followed by Atlanta, Washington D.C, Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, and Houston with over 100,000 to 200,000 Koreans in each city, each with large Korean communities (Lee, 2007;Oh, Zhou, Kreps, & Kim, 2014).…”

“…In addition to the problems from their natural aging process, the majority of older Korean immigrants experience acculturative stress when they encounter the social, cultural, and linguistic barriers in a new country (Berry, 2003;Choi & Thomas, 2009;Lee, 2007). The stress is often associated with biopsychosocial problems such as rapid deterioration of physical functions, mental health problems, and social isolation (Han, Kim, Lee, Pistulka, & Kim, 2007;Jang, Kim, & Chiriboga, 2006).…”

“…Those problems may be the result from relocation to a new country with different culture and language, financial hardships due to a lack of income resources, and cultural challenges related to the language barrier in addition to their natural aging process (Choi & Thomas, 2009;Lee, 2007). Therefore, older Korean immigrants are at a greater risk of being marginalized due to lower socioeconomic status, health problems, and acculturative stress (Hooyman & Kiyak, 2011).…”

“…It has been well known that religious life and attending regular spiritual activities can provide a positive influence for older adults to acquire a better quality of later life throughout more social interactions and opportunities for socialization (Ellison, 1983;Lee, 2007;Adams, Leibbrandt, & Moon, 2011;Lee & Hwang, 2014;Wong, Yoo, & Stewart, 2005). There was no exception for the older Korean immigrants who participated in this study.…”

“…According to the discussion with the participants who provided this response, the main reason was their needs. For the older Korean immigrants who had a lack of English fluency, vulnerability, and cultural differences, family support, especially their children's assistance, was an absolute necessity (Lee, 2007;Lee & Hwang, 2014;Wong, Yoo, & Stewart, 2005).…”