Isolation of Older Persons

Abstract

Current theories suggest that migration tends to exacerbate isolation of older people, although such isolation should be mitigated by length of residence. Propositions derived from these theories were tested using data collected in San Diego, California, from 1139 older people representing ten different ethnic groups (Black, Hispanic, Pilipino, Guamanian, Samoan, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, American Indian, and nonminority). The findings suggest that recent older immigrants are, in fact, more isolated than elders in other migration/residence statuses. However, immigration seems to exert an overall low level of influence on isolation, whereas ethnicity independently appears to exert a greater influence.