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.
Familial Relationships and Chicana Old Age
Familial Relationships and Chicana Old Age
The extent to which the Chicano family acts as a support for Chicano/Mexican aged is a major theme in Chicano aging literature (Facio & Wallace, 1988). Generally, works focus on the relationship between familial support and the aged's psychological well-being: life satisfaction, morale, self-esteem, and so on. In this study, families included the participants’ children and grandchildren. In many cases, compadres or coparents (relationships established through the religious ceremony of baptism) were also considered part of familial networks. The major conclusions drawn are that most aged parents live with their children and subsequently only have contact with their immediate families. In fact, Latino elderly are less likely to live alone or with a spouse ...
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