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Culturally familiar environment among immigrant Korean elders
Gwi-Ryung Son1, Hye-Ryoung Kim
1University of Michigan, School of Nursing, Ann Arbor 48109, USA. grson@umich.edu
Research and Theory for Nursing Practice
|June 9, 2006
Summary
Immigrant Korean elders express familiarity through cultural items like food and music, evoking feelings of comfort and belonging. Understanding these connections can improve well-being for ethnic minority elders.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Sociology
- Cultural Studies
Background:
- Immigrant elders often face challenges maintaining cultural connections.
- Familiarity is a key concept in understanding the well-being of older adults.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the concept of familiarity among immigrant Korean elders.
- To explore how cultural items (clothing, food, music) and associated feelings contribute to familiarity.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive exploratory design utilizing in-depth, face-to-face interviews.
- Convenience sample of 14 Korean elders (63-82 years old).
- Constant comparative analysis of transcribed interviews.
Main Results:
- Eight themes emerged: homesickness, comfort, pleasure, mixed feelings, attachment, pride, nostalgic practice, and essentiality.
- Culturally familiar items are central to the elders' sense of self and emotional state.
- Feelings associated with familiar items significantly impact their lived experience.
Conclusions:
- Familiarity, expressed through cultural items and emotions, is crucial for immigrant Korean elders.
- Findings can inform interventions to enhance belonging and comfort for ethnic minority elders.
- Understanding cultural familiarity supports holistic elder care.