ABSTRACT

A sample of 9 Korea-born elderly people (2 men & 7women) living in New England, aged 69 to 81, was interviewedthrough telephone to investigate the extent of their adjustment toimmigration life. A questionnaire was developed to assess mental/physical health status, acculturation level, intergenerational interaction,life satisfaction, and factors linked to immigration lifestressors. Due to a small sample size, any types of statisticalanalyses were not conducted. All respondents rated their healthas somewhat worse compared with a year ago, while a majorityof them did not show any problems in emotional health. A graspof English was found to be the least acculturated area. Mostrespondents rated their financial satisfaction as even. No matterhow long they resided in the U.S. or what SES they were locatedin, the Korean American elderly sampled still followed Koreancustoms. Marginalized from their families and American societyin general, the interviewees not only expressed their wish to beindependent from their adult children financially, but also helpthem as much as they could. Those whose primary source ofincome was the Supplementary Security Income rated financialdifficulties as their paramount concern for their future livingconditions. This paper argues that U.S. welfare policy needs toreflect acculturation status of the minority elderly who stillmaintain a strong attachment to their ethnic heritage.