United States' international retirement migration: the reasons for retiring to the environs of Lake Chapala, Mexico

Abstract

Most studies of retirement migration in the United States focus at the national level, and there is comparatively little information about the retirees who cross international borders in their search for new homes. Retirement migrants are unusual in that many select destinations in less-developed countries, contrary to the general pattern of migration from poor to rich countries in search of jobs, higher incomes and a better standard of life. This study has examined the reasons for retirement migration from the United States (US) to the Lake Chapala area of the Mexican state of Jalisco. A non-random sample of 211 US retirees was surveyed using a self-completion, semi-structured questionnaire that included items about the decision to move to Mexico, the quality of life at the destination, cultural adaptation, and aspects of personal identity, financial security and health-care. Four major reasons for migrating to Mexico were identified: financial circumstances, the natural environment, a sense of community and friendship, and a better quality of life. While the migrations contradict much taken-for-granted and popular knowledge about migration patterns around the world, they have important implications for the ways of life, social relationships and welfare of the most recent cohort of older people. More in-depth multidisciplinary studies are needed to increase understanding of this evolving phenomenon.

A pocos kilómetros, pero en otro país. El retiro de jubilados estadounidenses en Baja California, México

“…Algunos incentivos de tipo económico, pero también político, climático y sociocultural, unido a factores ambientales y de tipo natural, tienen un efecto decisivo en estos traslados residenciales de jubilados, sin olvidar la cercanía de ambos países (Sunil et al, 2007) y la oferta asistencial y sanitaria.…”

“…La distribución espacial de los jubilados de origen estadounidense en México permite detectar cierta "segregación" residencial. El mayor número se encuentra en localidades de la costa del Pacífico (corredor norte de la Baja California, y también en Los Cabos, en Baja California Sur) y del centro del país, sobre todo alrededor del Lago Chapala (estado de Jalisco) y San Miguel de Allende, además de en algunas zonas de Yucatán (Sunil et al, 2007) (mapas 2 y 3). En concreto, los alrededores del lago Chapala son destino importante de un gran volumen de población bohemia y artistas, y allí se concentra una numerosa colonia de jubilados estadounidenses y también de canadienses; al contrario, los jubilados que se trasladan a Los Cabos (el mayor destino de jubilados en Baja California Sur) destacan por su elevado nivel adquisitivo, muy superior, por lo general, a quienes residen en el corredor Tijuana-Ensenada de la Baja California.…”

Geographical mobility among retired US migrants living in the Northwestern region of Mexico bordering California, US

“…Official figures (INEGI, 2010) show a concentration of these immigrants in certain states in the country's interior (Jalisco and Guanajuato) and along other coasts (Yucatán, Quintana Roo and Sinaloa); current research has studied the behaviour and lifestyles of foreign retirees residing in interior regions (Sunil et al, 2007), but in contrast little is known about those who have settled in border and coastal areas.…”

“…The faith that North Americans have shown in this area as a holiday destination has helped create a huge property and second homes market, as in other parts of the country (Sunil et al, 2007;Truly, 2002). Thanks to that mechanism, practically all of the retirees living in the Rosarito area, and also 28 out of 29 of the retirees interviewed for this study, have stated that they already knew the area before establishing their residence here, either because they had passed through it on the way to the rest of Mexico, or because they had visited it on holiday occasionally since childhood and as a family (Lardiés-Bosque, 2011); that prior knowledge of the area meant that they had some acquaintances/friends here:…”

A challenging entanglement: health care providers’ perspectives on caring for ill and injured tourists on Cozumel Island, Mexico

“…Elsewhere, a small collection of literature engaging with lifestyle and retirement migrants provides insight into how some non-Mexicans characterize health care they have accessed while in the country. Here, Mexico’s private health care is typically characterized as lower priced, offering a diversity of quality services, as well as a sense of personalization and empathy not found in international patients’ home countries (Amin & Ingman, 2010; Hoffman, Crooks, & Snyder, 2017; Sloane, Cohen, Haac, & Zimmerman, 2013; Sunil, Rojas, & Bradley, 2007). This literature also identifies challenges for patients, including concerns about the quality of products and services, inability to access certain technologies, complications in decision-making, and insufficient health insurance coverage (Hoffman et al, 2017; Sloane et al, 2013)…”