Enoch Senior’s College for Korean Immigrant Seniors: Quality of Life Effects

Abstract

A community-based program is increasingly recognized as promoting health and active social participation in one's life, yet information is lacking about the use and impact of such programs among immigrant visible minority seniors. This mixed-method research evaluated the impact of a cultural community program for Korean immigrant seniors by examining participants' health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) benefits and overall well-being. In this study, 79 participants completed the SF-36v2 questionnaire twice to assess the impact of Canada Enoch Senior's College (CESC) program on their HR-QOL and well-being. Statistically significant improvement in physical and mental health domains was observed: bodily pain and role limitations due to emotional problems. Qualitative data from participants' interviews supported the survey findings with positive contributions in health and social arenas of seniors' lives. These results suggest that the CESC program contributes to quality of life and well-being of Korean senior participants and supports similar community-based cultural programs.

What Quality-of-Life Dimensions Are Most Important to Older Adults from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds Receiving Aged Care Services? An Exploratory Study

“…This research aligns with the small number of other studies conducted with migrant populations in Australia and internationally. Other studies have highlighted the importance of independence [ 18 , 19 ] and social connections [ 20 , 21 ] to older adults from CALD backgrounds. The quality-of-life dimension of having a meaningful role identified in a previous study [ 18 ] was similar to the dimension of ‘purpose and meaning’ identified in the current study.…”

“…Another study of older Chinese adults in New Zealand identified the importance of maintaining independence and having strong family support [ 19 ]. Several studies have highlighted the importance of social connections with their ethnic community as important to older CALD adults, such as studies with older Punjabi women and older Korean adults in Canada [ 20 , 21 ]. Jo and colleagues [ 21 ] identified that having a sense of belonging and feeling valued were important to older Korean adults.…”

“…Several studies have highlighted the importance of social connections with their ethnic community as important to older CALD adults, such as studies with older Punjabi women and older Korean adults in Canada [ 20 , 21 ]. Jo and colleagues [ 21 ] identified that having a sense of belonging and feeling valued were important to older Korean adults. In a Canadian study of older south-east Asian women investigating key factors impacting on quality of life, dimensions were negatively expressed as loneliness/social isolation (with limited English a compounding factor), experiences of abuse (physical, mental, economic) exacerbated by dependency, and expectations around family roles (which included the exchange of domestic labour and childcare for being housed and cared for).…”

Finding the Silver Lining: Aging Well Amongst Older Brazilian Women in the Post-Migration Context

“…The demographic proportion of older adults aged 55 to 65, has surpassed those aged 15 to 24 years of age (Statistics Canada, 2018b). In combination with the increase in the aging population, Canada’s demographic landscape is also changing due to a significant increase in ethnocultural diversity (Jo et al., 2018). According to the Statistics Canada 2016 census, there are 7.5 million immigrants which represents more than 1 in 5 persons in the Canadian population (Statistics Canada, 2018a).…”

Finding the silver lining: aging well amongst older Brazilian women

“…With an increasing aging population, there will be significant implications for all sectors of society, including labour, financial markets and the demand for goods and services (e.g., housing, transportation, and social protection) (United Nations, 2017). In conjunction with the increase in the aging population, the Canadian demographic landscape is changing due to a significant increase in ethnographic diversity (Jo, Jo, Veblen & Potter, 2018). According to the Statistics Canada 2016 census, immigrants accounted for more than 7.5 million, representing more than 1 in 5 persons in the Canadian population (Statistics Canada, 2018).…”