Well-being in Chinese Immigrant Families: Aging in a Foreign Land

Most of the immigrant literature focuses on young working-age immigrants and their children. The ongoing interconnections between population aging and immigration call for more research on older immigrants and their families. Based on findings from two large surveys of Chinese immigrants in Chicago, this chapter illustrates the challenges, adaptations, and resilience of Chinese immigrant families with older adults and the implications of family dynamics on later life well-being. The findings reveal the paramount role of the traditional family norm of filial piety in shaping family interactions and the well-being of Chinese older immigrants. However, family conflict was prevalent and intensive family relationships may compromise older immigrants’ mental health. The overall family structures of Chinese immigrant families are not only diverse but also fluid, with more families transitioning to integrated or assimilated family status over time. Favorable well-being of older immigrants seems to stem from the optimal combination of both heritage culture and the host society’s cultural elements. The findings suggest that assessment of both supportive and conflictual family relationships is necessary to understand the mental health risks of older immigrants. More effort is needed in educating service providers about immigrants’ shared cultural practices but also unique needs of individual families.