grc 1 housing and health transitions among older chinese and koreans in bc eunju hwang, phd, sfu...

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Housing and Health Transitions among

Older Chinese and Koreans in BC

Eunju Hwang, PhD, SFUGloria Gutman, PhD, SFU

Habib Chaudhury, PhD, SFUThomas Tam, MS, SUCCESS

Tim Choi, MA, SUCCESSAndrew Wister, PhD, SFU

Zheng Wu, PhD, UVic

The 17th John K. Friesen Conference, June 8, 2007This project is supported by the BC Network for Aging Research.

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Gerontology Research Centre and Program

BACKGROUND Demographic Trends

Immigrants by period of immigration—world regions of birth, Canada, 2001 (percentage distribution)

Source: CIC (2006). Recent immigrants in metropolitan areas

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What’s New in BC?

Source: Statistics Canada. 2001 Census.

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• BC had the highest proportion of visible minorities, representing 21.6% of its population, followed by Ontario (19.1%).

• Toronto is the residence for a large share of East Asians, but a more strong preference is found among recent immigrants from South Asia and from the Caribbean.

• Montreal is a preferred destination of recent immigrants from Western Asia and Middle East, Africa, Western Europe, Latin America and the Carribean.

• In Vancouver, more than 1 in 3 recently immigrated East Asians are living.

• In some suburbs, such as Richmond, Surrey, Burnaby, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, the increase of Chinese and Koreans has been salient.

Source: CIC (2006). Recent immigrants in metropolitan areas

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Emerging Suburbs

• RichmondOf Richmond’s total population,

54% are immigrants.

Of Richmond’s total population,

15% were born in Hong Kong, 10% were born in China and

5% in Taiwan.

#s based on Statistics Canada. 2001 Census.

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Emerging Suburbs

• Tri-CitiesOf Coquitlam’s total population,

over 37% are immigrants.

Over half of these immigrants arrived during the past 10 years.

Among the top 10 source countries of immigrants to the TC include Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, China, Iran and Philippines.

Koreans are the main clients of ISS Settlement programs.

Out of 22,635 Koreans in BC, over 92% are in Coquitlam, Surrey and Burnaby.

#s based on Statistics Canada. 2001 Census.

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“There has not been a lot of research done in Canada on aging and ethnicity. … More research on this population is required, as is new knowledge about the impact of ethnicity on the aging process, and its implications for health and well-being, the particular needs of ethnic minority seniors and the development of appropriate responses to these needs.”

Source: National Advisory Council on Aging (Canada) (2005). Seniors on the margins: Seniors from ethnocultural minorities. Ottawa.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT ETHNIC MINORITY SENIORS?

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Working with Ethno-Cultural Community

• Target groups: Chinese & Korean seniors• Outreach thru: Community organizations• Purpose: Development of appropriate responses

to these needs

Education

Research

Outreach

• Purpose: To address community needs• Level of analysis: Family/community/city• Research design: Evidence-based research• Analysis: Cross-cultural matrix

• Dissemination: Different strategies 1) To advocate underserved ethnic minority elders and 2) to work w/ policy makers, community planners and service organizations

• Expected outcomes: Development of appropriate responses to these needs

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Chinese• Major source of immigration

• Top source of economic immigrants

• Popular settlement area: Richmond

• 65+: 9.9% of the Chinese-Canadian

• Senior housing development in Chinatown

OUTREACHEmerging Communities

Korean• Growing fast• Korean immigrants to

Canada surpassed those who immigrated to the US

• Top source of economic immigrants

• Popular settlement area: Burnaby & Coquitlam

• 65+: 4.6% of the Korean-Canadian

• New Vista Housing

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Community Partners

Chinese Community thru SUCCESS

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Korean Senior Citizens Soc of Greater VancouverNew Vista Soc

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RESEARCHBCNAR Pilot Project

• Title: Housing and Health Transition among

Older Chinese and Koreans in BC• Research Questions:

1. What are the demographic, housing, and

neighborhood characteristics of older Chinese

and Koreans?

2. Does the location of current housing adjacent to

ethnic business districts affect the older Chinese

and Koreans’ ability to stay in current housing?

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• Resident survey (30 qs)

Housing choice

Neighborhood/community characteristics

Socio-cultural characteristics

Demographics

• Focus groups

Semi-structured

Methodology

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• Chinese

Resident survey

24 in Van Chinatown

26 in Van GVRD

Focus group

8 participants

Methodology:• Korean

Resident survey

22 Close to Koreatown

27 in Van GVRD

Focus group

8 participants

Analysis: Frequency, Chi-square, & t-test

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Demographic Characteristics of the Survey Participants • Age : 72 (ranged from 53 to 87)• Duration at Canada: 15 years (ranged from 1 to 39)• Health status: Good • Employment status: Retired• Education level: High school graduate• Primary source of household income: Government pension• Annual household income level: $20,001-25,000

Housing Characteristics of the Survey Participants • Duration at current housing: 9.5 years• Type of current housing: Highrises• Tenure of current housing: Renter• People lived with before current housing: Children• Place lived before current housing: BC

#s based on median values

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Chinese seniors are more likely than Korean seniors to • have lived longer at current housing,• live in various types of housing,• move to current housing because their adult children already lived in the residence,• use/visit community centers, ethnic groceries, banks, convenient stores, parks, gyms,

doctor’s office, and library, and• be married.

Chinese seniors are less likely than Korean seniors to • think that accessibility of services and amenities is important,• think that proximity to their church is important, • think that the view from their current housing is important,• identify themselves as Canadian,• think that having family and relatives close by for living in Canada is important,• think that having friends from the same culture is important,• think that feeling welcome in Canada is important,• think that having Canadian-born friends for living in Canada is important, and• visit their country of birth frequently.

Results: Chinese vs Korean

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Chinese seniors in Chinatown are more likely than Chinese seniors living elsewhere to

• rent their current housing,• think safety and security is important,• think proximity to family or friends is important, • think knowing English for living in Canada is important, &• have government pension as their primary income source.

Chinese seniors in Chinatown are less likely than Chinese seniors living other than Chinatown to be healthy.

Results: Within the Chinese group

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Korean seniors living close to Koreatown are more likely than Korean seniors living elsewhere to • live in highrises,• think proximity to family or friends is important, • feel a sense of belonging to their neighborhood,• have neighbors from Korea,• have access to bus/skytrain and grocery stores,• think having Canadian-born friends for living in Canada is important,• be older, • live alone or live with a spouse, and• be satisfied with their lives.

Korean seniors living close to Koreatown are less likely than Korean seniors living elsewhere to• visit Korea,• be educated, and• move out in the next 3 years.

Results: Within the Korean group

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Q. Who’s going to move out in the next 3 years?A. Those who

• think accessibility of services and amenities is important in choosing housing/location,

• think proximity to one’s own ethnic community is important,• think quality of the neighborhood is important, • think safety and security is important, • think knowing English for living in Canada is important,and• are less satisfied with living where they’re.

Results: Move vs Stay

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Implications: Chinese SeniorsChinatown• Aging-in-place• Less healthier• Relied on government pension• Safety and security issues at the

neighborhood level? Affordable housing w/ income subsidies? Health promotion? How to create safer

environment?

Elsewhere• Active• Utilization of Chinese

community centers

? Service coordination? Quality of neighborhood

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Implications: Korean SeniorsClose to Koreatown• Aging-in-place• More involved with community

resources• Utilization of available

community resources

? How to get access to community resources?

? On-site service programs

Elsewhere• Isolation/family conflicts• Satisfaction• To move or not to move?

? What housing options are available?

? How to develop community resources?

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Working with the Community Partners

EDUCATION

• Korean communityKorean seniors’ program at New VistaCommunity planning’s role in social

cohesion in Burnaby/Coquitlam

• Chinese communityChinatown senior housing evaluationMedical Outcomes SF-36

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

• This pilot project was funded in part by a grant from the BC Network for Aging Research, one of 8 population health networks supported by the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research.

• Additional support was provided by Simon Fraser University Gerontology Research Centre and SUCCESS.

To request power point materials, email Dr. Hwang at [email protected].

grc 1 housing and health transitions among older chinese and koreans in bc eunju hwang, phd, sfu...

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