Songs of their lives: A narrative study of three older Korean immigrants in Los Angeles

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-175
Author(s):  
Eun Cho

Conceptualized as a narrative inquiry, this study explored how music permeates the lives of older Korean immigrants in the United States. By closely examining three individuals’ lived experiences through the narratives they told, the study aimed to illuminate the complexity, depth, and uniqueness of meanings embedded in the musical lives of older immigrants. Narrative data revealed that while all interviewees had lived in the same time periods and went through many similar life events, each individual used different “colors and shapes” to “paint” their musical lives. Yet, some common themes also appeared from the narrative data: songs in the lives of the older immigrants portrayed their personhood, including who they are, where they come from, and what they like/dislike. Also, as a means of emotional communication, songs were intrinsically related to temporal moments at particular circumstances in the past, often paired with affective reactions. Finally, songs helped make sense of the socio-historical contexts in which the older immigrants have lived.

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haesang Jeon ◽  
James Lubben

Objectives: The current cross-cultural study examines the pathways underlying different formations of social networks and social support systems, which affect depression symptoms among older Korean immigrants and non-Hispanic Whites in the United States.Method: Data for this study came from a panel survey of 223 older Korean American immigrants and 201 non-Hispanic White older adults 65 years of age and older living in Los Angeles. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to test the proposed conceptual model designed to explain the direct and indirect relationships between social networks and social support on depression symptoms.Results: Empirical evidence from this study indicated different effect of one’s social networks and social support on depression by race/ethnicity.Discussion: The work discussed in this article pointed to the need to recognize the role of culture in assessing the relationships between social networks, social support, and health among older adults.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 117-133
Author(s):  
Jaewon Lee

Background: This study was to investigate how acculturative stress affects older Korean immigrants' successful aging and whether resilience can play a mediator's role to the sample population's successful aging or not. The research design was a cross-sectional survey using three valid and reliable scales such as Successful Aging Scale, Acculturative Stress Scale, and Resilience Scale. A research shows that there is no or minimum correlation between acculturative stress and successful aging (Choi & Thomas, 2009). However, it was hypothesized that although there was a weak correlation between acculturative stress and successful aging, once the resilience involved as a mediator, the correlation would be stronger. Methods: The study was designed as a self-administered survey research using the scales mentioned above. One hundred and two (N=102) older Koreans who currently enrolled in Adult Health Care Centers in Los Angeles, CA, participated in this study. Multiple Regression, Correlation, ANOVA, and t-test was administered to analyze the collected data. Results: The results indicated that there was a positive but weak correlation between acculturative stress and the sample population's successful aging rate (r = .252, p<.05). Interestingly, when resilience intervened as a mediator, the correlation between acculturation and successful aging was increased to (r = .622, p<.05). Therefore, the study discovered that the resilience was able to play a mediator's role between acculturative stress and successful aging among the older Korean immigrants. Implications: The findings can be directed to social work researchers and practitioners to help educate the ethnic older adults in the community on the social and behavioral importance of the positive aspects of aging such as successful aging and healthy aging to increase the chance of community member's longevity. Future research will include other ethnic and immigrant older populations in the community to show internal and external validity of the study related to successful aging, acculturative stress, and resilience.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Jaewon Lee

A qualitative study was designed as an attempt to overcome the limitations of previous studies of successful aging, which included biased sample population, ignorance of subjective perception of successful aging, and a restrictive definition. The purpose of this study was to explore older immigrants’ perceptions toward successful aging and to indicate the important predictors to determine successful aging. In addition, this study aimed to identify significant factors influencing willingness to become successful agers among older immigrants in the United Sates. The research design was a cross-sectional key informant interview. One hundred and two (N=102) older Koreans in Los Angeles, CA, participated in this study. Interestingly, their children’s successful life was one of the heavily influential factors to become a successful ager among them. Implications are directed to social work researchers and practitioners to help educate the ethnic older adults in the community on the social and behavioral importance of the positive aspects of aging such as successful aging and healthy aging to increase the chance of longevity.


1997 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 333-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rubén G. Rumbaut

In at least one sense the “American century” is ending much as it had begun: the United States has again become a nation of immigrants, and it is again being transformed in the process. But the diversity of the “new immigration” to the United States over the past three decades differs in many respects from that of the last period of mass immigration in the first three decades of the century. The immigrants themselves differ greatly in their social class and national origins, and so does the American society, polity, and economy that receives them—raising questions about their modes of incorporation, and challenging conventional accounts of assimilation processes that were framed during that previous epoch. The dynamics and future course of their adaptation are open empirical questions—as well as major questions for public policy, since the outcome will shape the future contours of American society. Indeed, as the United States undergoes its most profound demographic transformation in a century; as inexorable processes of globalization, especially international migrations from Asia, Africa, and the Americas, diversify still further the polyethnic composition of its population; and as issues of immigration, race and ethnicity become the subject of heated public debate, the question of incorporation, and its serious study, becomes all the more exigent. The essays in this special issue of Sociological Perspectives tackle that subject from a variety of analytical vantages and innovative approaches, covering a wide range of groups in major areas of immigrant settlement. Several of the papers focus specifically on Los Angeles and New York City, where, remarkably, fully a quarter of the total U.S. immigrant population resides.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 160-175
Author(s):  
Neha Anand ◽  
Abbey Bachmann

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the entire system of education around the world is living each day under rapid experimentation to grapple with unforeseen challenges. The event of the COVID-19 pandemic has not only impacted a student’s track of learning but also disrupted the everyday functioning of schools. In the case of the United States, since the beginning of March 2020, when schools were pushed into remote learning options, most teachers had minimal training and resources to teach online. Teachers faced technological challenges and suffered a severe lack of pedagogical knowledge to engage students in an online platform. The overnight switch of face-to-face to remote teaching has added to existing teacher workloads, including accommodating student learning and engagement on the virtual platform. The narrative study considers the experiences of Ally, a veteran teacher, who experienced doubts about her sense of confidence as a teacher with the overnight change of instructional formats. Qualitative analysis was conducted from two interviews, 12 written reflections, and observation notes. Following a review of relevant literature, we report the narrative account of this teacher’s lived experiences. Next, we present suggestions and implications for research and practice while addressing the following research question: What were the lived experiences of a veteran teacher while pursuing a hybrid teaching instruction format, in both the traditional and online delivery format?


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 961-961
Author(s):  
Sojeong Lee ◽  
Victoria Rizzo

Abstract The visible impact of the SDoHs on health and behavioral health as well as health disparities among minority populations is heightened due to COVID-19. One group about which little is known in relation to SDoHs is the older Korean immigrant population in the U.S. To examine the impact of SDoHs on the health, mental health, and health care utilization, a systematic review of studies focused on SDoHs for this population was conducted. Using multiple indexing terms, databases were searched for articles published in English between January 1, 2011 and December 2020. Articles were included in the search if they examined social determinants of health of older Korean immigrants defined as foreign-born Koreans aged 60 or older who live in the United States regardless of citizenship or legal immigration status. A total of 1090 articles were identified in the search. A review of abstracts for inclusion criteria resulted in 118 articles for review. Seventy-one articles were excluded during the review process. A total of 47 articles met inclusion criteria and were evaluated. The review revealed that SDoHs, including education level, financial resources, access to health insurance, level of acculturation and level of social support, influenced cognitive status, depressive symptoms, health status and quality of life. These findings validate the need for interventions to address the social care needs of older Korean immigrants and can be used to identify the role of social workers in addressing the SDoHs that result in health disparities for older Korean immigrants.


Inclusion ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Blanck

Abstract The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 has helped to define in the United States and globally the modern view of disability as a central element of the human experience. This second issue, of a two-part Special Issue of the journal Inclusion, examines the ADA at its 25th anniversary. From an array of disciplinary perspectives and lived experiences, the articles reflect on the past 25 years, examine present opportunities and challenges, and consider the future to ensure continued action toward the civil and human rights of individuals with cognitive and other disabilities for inclusion and active citizenship.


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