Social Integration of Older Immigrants in 21st Century America

There are various reasons for the burgeoning interest in detailed research into the determinants of social well-being among older immigrants in this country. As a result of shifting federal government policies, the total volume of immigrants has increased significantly, the countries from which they migrate have changed, and more immigrant families have brought their parents into the United States than ever before. Consequently, the older adult population is becoming more diverse due in part to the aging-in-place of younger immigrants and an increasing number of immigrants who are older upon arrival in the United States. These trends create challenges for social service providers, who are encountering language and cultural differences among their clients for which they are unprepared. This report provides an overview of research about older adult immigrants in the United States that my colleagues and I have conducted over the past few years. Various demographic and cultural aspects of today's immigrants that differ from the past are described. The importance of social integration to older immigrants' well-being is considered. Then some intriguing research about the "new immigrants" is summarized and additional areas for future research are suggested.

Introducing the Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Age-at-Death Data Tracker

Adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) die younger than those without such disabilities in the U.S. This data slice introduces a new data tracking tool that shows age-at-death trends for adults with intellectual disability, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other rare developmental disabilities, as well as those without IDD. The website, which will be updated annually, allows users to compare age-at-death patterns for each IDD group by U.S. state, year, biological sex, and race-ethnicity

Social Integration of Older Immigrants in 21st Century America

There are various reasons for the burgeoning interest in detailed research into the determinants of social well-being among older immigrants in this country. As a result of shifting federal government policies, the total volume of immigrants has increased significantly, the countries from which they migrate have changed, and more immigrant families have brought their parents into the United States than ever before. Consequently, the older adult population is becoming more diverse due in part to the aging-in-place of younger immigrants and an increasing number of immigrants who are older upon arrival in the United States. These trends create challenges for social service providers, who are encountering language and cultural differences among their clients for which they are unprepared. This report provides an overview of research about older adult immigrants in the United States that my colleagues and I have conducted over the past few years. Various demographic and cultural aspects of today\u27s immigrants that differ from the past are described. The importance of social integration to older immigrants\u27 well-being is considered. Then some intriguing research about the new immigrants is summarized and additional areas for future research are suggested

The Influence of Veteran Status, Psychiatric Diagnosis, and Traumatic Brain Injury on Inadequate Sleep

Adequate sleep is essential for health, social participation, and wellbeing. We use 2010 and 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data (N = 35,602) to examine differences in sleep adequacy between: non-veterans; non-combat veterans with no psychiatric diagnosis or traumatic brain injury (TBI); combat veterans with no psychiatric diagnosis or TBI; and veterans (non-combat and combat combined) with a psychiatric diagnosis and/or TBI. On average, respondents reported 9.28 days of inadequate sleep; veterans with a psychiatric diagnosis and/or TBI reported the most—12.25 days. Multivariate analyses indicated that veterans with a psychiatric diagnosis and/or TBI had significantly more days of inadequate sleep than all other groups. Findings contribute to a growing literature on the relevance of the military service–psychiatric diagnosis–TBI nexus for sleep problems by using population-representative data and non-veteran and healthy veteran comparison groups. This research underscores the importance of screening and treating veterans for sleep problems, and can be used by social workers and health professionals to advocate for increased education and research about sleep problems among veterans with mental health problems and/or TBI

Older Immigrants Are More Likely Than Older Nonimmigrants to Experience Loneliness

Loneliness in older adults is a growing U.S. population health problem, especially among immigrants This research brief explores the impact of age at immigration on loneliness and considers factors such as health, socio-demographic characteristics, and engagement in volunteering on loneliness. Findings demonstrate the need for programs that promote social connection among older adult immigrants to combat feelings of loneliness

Arranjos de vida de idosos nos Estados Unidos

Este artigo repassa a literatura corrente no que se refere a arranjos de vida (condições e locais de moradia e co-habitação) entre idosos nos EUA. As razões para o estudo dos arranjos de vida estão delineadas e as tendências agregadas estão humanizadas. Os dois modelos conceituais comumente usados nesta área de pesquisa estão apresentados. Estes modelos identificam as características de nível que influenciam os arranjos de vida na terceira idade. Argumentamos que uma pesquisa mais dinâmica é necessária para explicar o processo de transição do arranjo de vida. Esta perspectiva se baseia na teoria de Lawton, que analisa a pessoa com seu próprio ambiente social e cultural e se baseia em uma análise longitudinal. Para terminar, discutimos os caminhos para a pesquisa futura

Resilience is Low among Both Military and Non-Military Populations with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects the lives of 12 million people in the United States. While commonly thought of in relation to military personnel and veterans, PTSD is also common among the general public. Resilience - the ability to cope with stressful events - is essential for recovering from PTSD. This data slice uses data from the National Wellbeing Survey to examine resilience among U.S. working-age adults with and without PTSD by their relationship to the military. Results show that those with PTSD have less resilience than those who have not experienced PTSD. In addition, those with military experience are more resilient than those without military experience

The Influence of Military Service Experiences on Current and Daily Drinking

Traumatic military service experience can lead to increased alcohol consumption among veterans, who may use alcohol as a form of self-medication. Veterans with a psychiatric disorder or traumatic brain injury are more likely than nonveterans to be daily drinkers. Non-combat and combat veterans without a PD or TBI are less likely than nonveterans to be daily drinkers

Uma sondagem via internet projetada para avaliar a vida diária dos idosos

O declínio da saúde física e do funcionamento cognitivo, em decorrência da idade, pode ter efeitos profundos na vida diária dos idosos, inclusive no desempenho de tarefas de autocuidado e na participação em atividades sociais. No entanto, pouco ainda se sabe sobre essa relação, devido à falta de medidas adequadas para uma avaliação diária dessa população. Este artigo apresenta um projeto piloto interdisciplinar que desenvolveu medidas diárias de saúde, funcionamento físico, atividades de autocuidado e atividades sociais entre  idosos. No estudo, 182 idosos (com idades entre 60 e 90 anos) participaram, através da internet, de uma breve (~15 minutos) pesquisa de base, e de avaliações diárias, durante sete dias consecutivos. As medidas incluídas nesse estudo, e suas estatísticas descritivas, são apresentadas neste trabalho. Na conclusão são discutidas suas implicações para pesquisas futuras, incluindo os desafios envolvidos no uso da internet para a coleta de dados de idosos