Barriers to Social Engagement for Older Immigrants in the United States: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Abstract

Social engagement is vital for older adults, enhancing belonging, participation, and overall mental well-being. However, older immigrants often face barriers such as acculturation stress, language difficulties, and cultural differences, which can hinder their engagement. This scoping review examines older immigrants’ participation in community programs, highlights challenges, and offers recommendations to improve program effectiveness and support integration. Informed by the PRISMA guidelines and the PICo framework, a search across 11 university databases identified 13 relevant articles (N = 13). Findings show that participation in community centers, religious groups, and volunteer opportunities improves health and life satisfaction while reducing isolation. However, older immigrants encounter barriers, including cultural unfamiliarity and lack of language support limits older immigrants’ engagement. The findings suggest the need for practitioners to consider language support and highlight the importance of ethnic group engagement. Policymakers should focus on developing programs that effectively engage diverse older adults.