Ethnicity as a Resource for the Aged: An Anthropological Perspective

Abstract

A common stereotype in much of the literature on aging is that the combination of old age and ethnicity places the individual in "double-jeopardy." However, what has been largely ignored are the many ways that ethnic affiliation pro vides a broad spectrum of social, cultural, psychological, and even economic resources, many of which remain invisible to the casual outside observer. This essay focuses on the nature of ethnicity in American culture and the positive role it can play in the lives of the elderly. It is particularly significant that ethnic sub-cultures may be able to suggest alternative solutions to many of the social problems associated with aging in our country.