Supporting London's Immigrant Seniors in the Face of Social Isolation
New immigrants face many challenges when they come to Canada and make the big decision to settle in a new community. Immigrant seniors experience a set of unique challenges.
As is the case with the general population of immigrants, immigrant and refugee seniors are becoming an increasingly diverse community in Canada.
The pandemic has amplified the concern of social isolation and the negative impacts this can have on individuals. Even before the pandemic, social isolation is something that immigrant seniors were struggling with. A study revealed that unique risk factors such as racism, discrimination, language barriers, weak social networks, and separation from friends and family predispose immigrant and refugee seniors to higher risk of social isolation. Social inclusion is regarded as an indicator of healthy aging. However, new immigrant and refugee seniors are at a greater risk of social isolation because of these general factors.
For example, while most seniors speak either English or French, approximately 63% of immigrant seniors who arrived in Canada between 2012 and 2016 reported that they were unable to speak either official languages. Further, immigrant and refugee seniors are more likely to live in poverty, have poorer health (perceived health status and chronic diseases), and face challenges in accessing services. Senior immigrants who are visible minorities tend to face higher rates of social isolation than those who are not as well.
Social isolation of course has many consequences pertaining to mental health, but it can also impact other health-related issues, social costs and even have economic implications. It is therefore important that special attention is paid to senior immigrants through outreach and service delivery to ensure that the number of immigrant seniors feeling socially isolated decreases. Faith communities are also a great avenue for immigrants to become involved and make connections.