Tags

According to demographic studies, minority groups in the United States are rapidly growing populations (See a U.S. Census Bureau Report from May 17, 2012 and data collected by the Pew Hispanic Center for research comparing the growth in minority populations from 2000 to 2010.) This growth will lead to a more diverse American society in the future. The largest minority groups include Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders. And within these groups are many diverse and varied subgroups.

These minority elder populations contribute a wealth of richness to American culture, and hopefully in the coming years they will have much greater opportunities and quality of life.

This growth in minority populations could help change and improve the care provided to the growing elderly populations from diverse groups. According to Novak (2012):

First, minority older populations have begun to grow in size. The number of minority older people will grow from 5.7 million in 2000 to 33.5 million in 2050. This will create the most diverse older population in U.S. history. . . . The study of minorities can lead to more responsive programs for older people and a better quality of life for minority elders. Third, studies show that minority group members experience aging differently than do whites. . . .  minority groups can teach us other ways of growing old. They show the strength and resourcefulness that older people bring to their communities and to our society. Finally, older populations express the diversity of U.S. society. They keep and pass on many of the traditions of their cultures and add to the richness of American life. Native American elders, for example, often keep up the traditions of their society (Penman, 2000). Some of these elders have lived through their culture’s transition from a rural to an urban lifestyle. Some African American elders keep alive family stories, recipes, and values. They provide models of strength and stability in a changing world. Japanese American elders recall key moments in the history of their group’s life in North America. Some remember the deportations that took place during World War II. They know firsthand the pain of prejudice and discrimination. These elders serve as valuable resources for younger generations. (p. 160)

An understanding of specific minority elder groups can lead to better quality of care and programs that are better suited to their specific values and needs. Often, aging people rely on a mixture of informal supports such as family and friends and formal supports such as community and government programs. Various groups can have unique needs and challenges.

For example, some American Indians and Alaskan Natives can face the difficulty of living in remote areas that may isolate them from some resources that are otherwise more readily available to aging individuals. In some cases, lack of funds may prevent those on reservations and/or remote locations from being able to provide a full range of options and care for aging individuals. In many cases, elders are highly esteemed in their culture, and family support and care of elders is greatly valued. Many aging individuals live with family members who care for them. Sometimes that is readily chosen and other times there are not other options for care available. Depending on individual family circumstances (financial, access to adequate resources, time available, other responsibilities, disposition, choice in the matter, knowledge of health care, and many other factors), those family members may or may not be able to provide quality care to the aging.

In other cases, for those aging elders who live in cities, they may be isolated from their friends and family and support system and from others who share their cultural background and values. They may face formal supports that are insensitive to their language and culture and also be isolated from resources that are only available to them on or near a reservation. In Novak (2012), there is an example of the limited resources available to aging American Indians in urban settings; it says:

Yea (2009; also Satter & Wallace, 2010) notes that more than half of older American Indians live in urban areas. And few urban centers exist. Those that do exist have poor funding and don’t offer a full range of geriatric care. . . . only 12 nursing homes exist for American Indians in the entire nation (Baldridge, 2002).  (p.190)

Clearly, minority groups such as American Indians and Alaska Natives could benefit greatly from having more resources available to them and from having more resources available that are tailored to specifically match their needs, interests, and values. For more information, check out the website of Advocates for American Indian and Alaska Native Elders.

By continually learning about the needs of the diverse people groups and individuals in their local areas, libraries and other social services can make a greater impact for good, foster a richness of cultural diversity that can benefit the entire community, provide more relevant resources, and promote places within their communities that are more accessible and welcoming to all.

Bibliography:

Advocates for American Indian and Alaska Native Elders. Retrieved on September 27, 2012, from http://nicoa.org/

Cohn, D., Lopez, M. H., and Passel, J.,  (2011). Pew Hispanic Center. Hispanics Account for More than Half of Nation’s Growth in Past Decade. Retrieved on September 27, 2012, from http://www.pewhispanic.org/2011/03/24/hispanics-account-for-more-than-half-of-nations-growth-in-past-decade/

Novak, M. (2012). Issues in Aging. (3rd ed., pp. 160, 190). Boston: Pearson.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). Most Children Younger Than Age 1 are Minorities, Census Bureau Reports. Retrieved on September 27, 2012, from http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/population/cb12-90.html