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20 Refuge 20 (2001-2002)
The Path to Integration: Meeting the Special Needs of Refugee Elders in Resettlement

handle is hein.journals/rfgcjr20 and id is 19 raw text is: The Path to Integration: Meeting the Special Needs of Refugee Elders in Resettlement JEFF CHENOWETH AND LAURA BURDICK Abstract Refugee elders in resettlement represent a small but very vul- nerable population. Regardless of age, vitality, or employabil- ity, elders play a critical role in upholding a family strength and stability through the difficult period of forced migration. Yet, most resettlement countries provide few services to elders beyond those given to the whole family in the forms of hous- ing income support, and health care. The lack of elder-spe- cific services may be the result of limited resettlement numbers, inadequate resources, or unfamiliarity with elders' unique needs. This article discusses the many common needs and challenges of refugee elders through a literature review and follows with recommendations for interventions and in- tegration activities. The authors suggest that skillful needs as- sessment and creative program design can help to restore elders' dignity and vitality, thereby strengthening thefamily unit. The article is based on the authors' experiences as tech- nical assistance advisers to over 130 private and public refu- gee elder programs in the United States from 1997 to 2000. RWsum Dans le con texte de la reinstallation, les personnes agees parmi les refugies constituent un segment de la population qui est petit, mais extremement vulnerable. Cependant, quels que soient leur age, leur niveau de vitalite ou d 'em- ployabilit, lespersonnes du troisieme age ont un role essen- tiel d jouer pour la preservation de la vigueur et de la stabilite de la famille pendant la periode difficile de migra- tion forcee. En depit de cela, la plupart des pays de reinstal- lation fournissent tres peu de services aux personnes agees en dehors de ce qui estfourni aux autres membres de lafa- mille pour le logement, le sou tien du revenu et les soins de sant. L'absence de services specifiquement axes vers les personnes agees pourrait s'expliquer par des nombres insuffisants pour la reinstallation, des ressour- ces inadequates ou le manque de familiarite avec les be- soins specifiques des personnes agees. Cet article examine les nombreux besoins qui sont comm uns toutes les personnes agees refugies, ainsi que les defis qui les confrontent toutes egalement, en passant en re- vue la litterature afferente, et continue en formulant des recommandations pour des interventions et des ac- tivites visant d promouvoir l'integration. Les auteurs soutiennent que l'habilete dans l'evaluation des be- soins, alliee d de la creativite dans l'elaboration des programmes, peuvent aider d redonner aux personnes agees dignite et vitalit, con tribuant ainsi d renforcer la cellule familiale. Cet article est base sur l'experience amassee par les auteurs au cours de leur travail comme Conseillers techniques au sein de plus de 130 programmes pour les personnes agees refugiees aux Etats Unis pendant la periode allant de 1997 d l'an 2000. Introduction efugee elders in resettlement reflect the broad di- versity of the world's refugee populations but are fewer in number compared to younger age groups. Therefore, assessing needs and challenges re- quires a careful review of resettlement numbers over several decades as elders newly arrive and age in place. Before assessing needs, it is important to analyze both national and local refugee demographics. The United States, for example, has resettled approximately 1.8 mil- 20 © Jeff Chenoweth and Laura Burdick, 2001. This open-access work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, which permits use, reproduction and distribution in any medium for non-commercial purposes, provided the original author(s) are credited and the original publication in Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees is cited.

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