People over the age of 50 who live alone are now one of the fastest-growing demographics in the nation. Up from 15 million in 2000, this demographic bloated to nearly 26 million this year. The causes may be connected to the changing perceptions around family and gender which resulted in high divorce and never-married rates in this generation. There were more women in the Baby Boomer generation who entered the workforce than ever before. There was also an emphasis on individuality that subverted traditional social boundaries.
In interviews conducted by The New York Times, representatives of this demographic claimed to be happy about their current lives and living arrangements. But studies by Dr. Markus Schafer, a sociologist at Baylor University, show that older adults living alone generally experience more loneliness than people who live with others. In addition, research conducted by the National Institute on Aging shows that social isolation and loneliness in older adults pose more significant health risks. Future planning has also become a problem for this demographic. Not only do some of them have to consider factors such as taking care of their parents, but those without children will also need to consider how they will get the care and support they need as they age.
The housing situation in America is not on their side. Even though the number of people living in single households has been steadily increasing, single unit housings did not grow at the same rate. Instead, there has been a tremendous growth in the amount of four unit or more housing even when the demand for them is relatively low. This has created a gap between the low supply of housing and the demand, which drove up the price for smaller units and made larger units less valuable. The dilemma is that older adults who want to move into smaller housing find their targets unaffordable, while younger couples who want to move into larger accommodations are unable to find them.
How does this demographic break down along lines of race and ethnicity? According to data provided by the American Community Survey, Black Americans are the most likely to live alone, and the percentage rises with the increase in age. Asian Americans are the least likely race to be living alone for people 50 and over. However, they also face unique disadvantages when aging alone in America. Even though the model minority myth portrays Asian Americans as a high earning, highly educated, and a highly successful demographic, the harsh realities of poverty for some Asian American elders living alone are often obscured by these myths. In fact, a study by the Urban Institute shows that there has been an increase in the poverty rate among Asian seniors. In 2015, the poverty rates for Asian elders 65 and over was 12.7% whereas the rate for all of Americans in this demographic was 9%.
Mrs Lam faced poverty during the pandemic in silence and alone. Despite working two jobs, she was always living on the edge of deep poverty. She was 61 years old when lost her two jobs as a hotel housekeeper and as a restaurant dishwasher on the first day of the city’s lockdown. She was scared because she had no savings, no friends and spoke no English. She was totally alone. She lived is a rooming house with 5 other people in Chinatown. Her husband and 15 yr old son had died 20 yrs earlier in a train accident. After they died, she just had to keep working.
Location is often a factor that makes addressing poverty harder for Asian American seniors. Nearly half of Asian Americans live in America’s 20 most expensive cities. This is because many Asian American hubs are located in these cities, but some elders are forced out of these hubs because of high living expenses or rising rental costs. The Urban Institute study also shows that Asian American elderly have limited access to a social safety net because of inability to understand English. Foreign-born elders are more likely to receive fewer Social Security benefits because they’ve worked fewer years in the States. Limited English proficiency also hinders Asian American seniors from accessing social services. For example, according to the study, 94% of Korean American elders and 92% of Chinese American elders in New York City speak English less than very well. While the city offers a variety of programs in different languages, limited English proficiency discourages seniors from applying for financial services.
Research published by the American Board of Family Medicine demonstrated Asian American seniors had lower life satisfaction and a lack of social and emotional support compared with all other races and ethnicities. Asian American seniors recorded only 54% life satisfaction compared with 80% for all other races and ethnicities, and 56% reported always or usually receiving social or emotional support compared with 80% for all others.
While researching the social problems of poverty and loneliness within the Asian American elderly community, l was also introduced to Amy Guen, a 95-year-old Boston resident, who is a 6th-generation Asian American. She was born in Boston’s Chinatown, moved to China for 12 years before returning to the U.S. She lives alone. When I asked if was happy with her current life, she emphatically answered “yes”! Amy told Sampan, “I am very thankful. I live in the center of town. Even with limited mobility, I am still able to participate in community forums with help. I am grateful that I am still aware of what is happening around me. I read the newspaper daily and get news from the T.V. I also have many great friends and relatives who can help me do the shopping. I have four children who communicate with me weekly by Zoom. I can go to the supermarkets at least once a month and cook for myself, so I have a good diet. I can’t ask for anymore.”
Earlier in her life, Amy was involved in founding South Cove Community Health Center, the Chinese American Civic Association (now the Asian American Civic Association), and the Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center. Her training as a professional social worker and living as an Asian and an American helped her see the changes in aging in America as an Asian American. She told Sampan, “Asian elders need proper care, especially physical care. I started as an interpreter for Chinese elders in medical care to make sure old people had adequate medical care. It was mainly single old men at the time due to the immigration policies then and many needed interpreters. However, less and less immigrants now need interpreters, and the focus should be more holistic when planning for the care of Asian Americans who are aging. There are many services provided for the elderly through nonprofit organizations, affordable housing programs, and nursing homes. But even if you are in the nursing home, you still need emotional support from family and others as well as other mental health services. During the pandemic, it was definitely proven that the lack of visitations from family caused lots of elderly to give up living. Their will to live has to be supported to make their lives meaningful, but if they cannot see their relatives regularly, they may easily become depressed. Families have the most responsibility for the well-being of their elderly.”
Ed has made a comfortable life filled will friends, families and important personal priorities. At 77 years old and retired, he has lived alone for nearly 20 years. He told Sampan, “I am not dissatisfied with the situation. There is enough available contact with friends, neighbors, and family that I have no sense of isolation. I have both biological family and ‘acquired’ family in the Greater Boston area.” Ed sympathizes, however, with the immigrant population in the U.S. “It does seem to me that older people in the U.S. are too removed from regular interactions with people who had been significant to them. In particular, they are apt to have less opportunity to experience the special pleasures of sharing the aspirations and accomplishments of young people. In other lands and societies beyond the U.S., my impression is that older people tend to be a more integral part of the full community. This is a model which should be valued and widely emulated here – to benefit of the young and old.”
