Ageing well in a foreign land: Identity, social connectedness, well-being (2016-2019)
Abstract
We know older people from diverse cultural backgrounds are vulnerable to social isolation as they age in a foreign land. What we lack is an understanding of the best approaches to get people connected and to protect their well-being. A mixed methods approach is used to: (a) identify the factors that contribute to social isolation and low well-being; (b) understand when and how engagement in ethnocultural and multicultural activities enhances social connectedness and well-being; and (c) evaluate and determine key principles underlying effective identity-based interventions. The intended outcome of the project is to inform a new policy model that harnesses identity resources to optimise their health-enhancing potential.
