Summary
Contents
Subject index
Focusing on an overlooked and understudied population, Understanding Older Chicanas examines older Chicanas' lives, status, and public policy needs. Chicana elderly tend to be poor, reflecting the economic position of Chicanos in American society; they also tend to be stereotyped as widows and grandmothers, reflecting the cultural values of Mexican American society. This work shows how Chicana elderly cope with this economic and cultural marginality and how they gain the personal and financial resources they require. Author Elisa Facio also relates how scholars and public policymakers have previously understood Chicana elderly, provides new data on the social meaning of Chicana old age, and points out the implications of that meaning for future policymakers. This perceptive volume is essential reading for those in academic and policy settings who are interested in issues regarding multicultural aging experiences, diversification, life-cycle phases, socialization, and women.
Entering the World of Older Chicanos/Mexicans
Entering the World of Older Chicanos/Mexicans
My entrance to the world of older Chicanos/Mexicans was through a senior citizen center. My work took me to a social world of later life that I thought, because of my ethnic and cultural upbringing, would be familiar and comfortable. Much to my surprise, this did not turn out to be the case. I have always had some type of close contact with older people through my own grandparents and my mama Cuca. My maternal grandfather had been very close to our family. I cannot remember a time when abuelito, as my brother called him, lived more than 5 miles from our home. My paternal grandmother continued to visit regularly during the winter months. ...
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