Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T09:02:38.822Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Poverty Variations among the Elderly: The Roles of Income Security Policies and Family Co-Residence*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 March 2011

Lisa Kaida  and
Monica Boyd
Lisa Kaida*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of Toronto
Monica Boyd
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, University of Toronto
*
†Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to / La correspondance et les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être adressées à: Lisa Kaida, M.A., Department of Sociology, University of Toronto, 725 Spadina Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2J4 ([email protected])
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Despite a rapid overall decline in poverty among older people since the 1970s, poverty among elderly immigrants is persistently high in Canada. Using data from the 2006 Canadian Census of Population, this article presents results of a study on the poverty of elderly immigrants in comparison to the Canadian-born elderly population. Results from logistic regression analysis suggest that a large portion of the higher poverty rates among elderly immigrants can be explained by the lack or inadequacy of state income support. Nevertheless, the high poverty levels among elderly immigrants are mitigated by financial assistance from their kin. This article concludes by highlighting the role of family support as a coping strategy for escaping poverty and by assessing two mechanisms of state intervention that could improve the economic well-being of elderly immigrants.

Résumé

Malgré un déclin rapide depuis les années 1970, la pauvreté parmi les immigrants âgées demeure toujours élevée. Utilisant le recensement canadien de la population en 2006, cet article décrit les différences des taux de pauvreté des vieillards immigrants comparé aux ceux nés au Canada. Les résultats de l’analyse logistique de régression suggèrent qu’une grande partie du haut taux de pauvreté parmi les immigrants âgés est dû au manque, ou à l’insuffisance, d’appui financier du gouvernement. Néanmoins, la pauvreté élevée parmi les immigrants âgés est atténuée par l’aide financière de leurs familles. Cet article conclut en mettant l’emphase sur le rôle que la famille peut jouer pour contrer la pauvreté qui fait face aux vieillards immigrants, et en évaluant deux mécanismes d’intervention du gouvernement qui pourraient améliorer le bien-être économique des immigrants âgés.

Keywords

vieillissementpauvretéimmigrantspolitique publiqueaide aux famillessoutien familialethnicitagingpovertyimmigrantsgovernment policyfamily supportethnicity
Type
Regular Articles / Articles réguliers
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , March 2011 , pp. 83 - 100
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

We thank three anonymous reviewers for their careful reviews of an earlier manuscript and for their many helpful comments. Earlier versions of this article were presented at the June 2008 annual meeting of the Canadian Sociological Association, Vancouver, British Columbia, and the December 2008 fourth Symposium of the Population, Work, and Family Research Collaboration (PWFC), Gatineau, Quebec. This research is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council award of a Canada Research Chair in Immigration, Inequality, and Public Policy to Monica Boyd.

References

African Canadian Social Development Council (ACSDC). (2010). Research, policy & advocacy. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved February 4, 2011, from http://www.acsdc.ca/research.htmlGoogle Scholar
Alternative Planning Group. (2009). Citizenship matters: Re-examining income (in)security of immigrant seniors. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: The Community Perspective Series, Wellesley Institute. Retrieved August, 24, 2009, from http://www.wellesleyinstitute.com/files/APG%20report%20final.pdfGoogle Scholar
Angel, J.L. (2003). Devolution and the social welfare of elderly immigrants: Who will bear the burden? Public Administration Review, 63(1), 79–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Angel, R., & Tienda, M. (1982). Determinants of extended household structure: Cultural pattern or economic need? American Journal of Sociology, 87(6), 1360–1383.Google Scholar
Baker, M., Benjamin, D., & Fan, E. (2009). Public policy and the economic wellbeing of elderly immigrants. Working Paper No. 52. Canadian Labour Market and Skills Researcher Network (CLSRN). Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Department of Economics, University of British Columbia, Retrieved February 3, 2011, from http://www.clsrn.econ.ubc.ca/workingpapers/CLSRN%20Working%20Paper%20no.%2052%20-%20%20Baker-Benjamin-Fan.pdfGoogle Scholar
Beaumier, C. (2008). Conservative partisanship trumps well-being of Canadian seniors. Retrieved July 28, 2008, from http://www.colleenbeaumier.parl.gc.ca/detail.asp?lang=e&type=med&sid=2936Google Scholar
Boyd, M. (1976). International migration policies and trends: A comparison of Canada and United States. Demography, 13(1), 83–104.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boyd, M. (1991). Immigration and living arrangements: Elderly women in Canada. International Migration Review, 25(1), 4–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burr, J.A., & Mutchler, J.E. (1993). Ethnic living arrangements: Cultural convergence or cultural manifestation? Social Forces, 72(1), 169–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burr, J.A., & Mutchler, J.E. (1999). Race and ethnic variation in norms of filial responsibility among older persons. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 61(3), 674–687.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cheal, D., & Kampen, K. (1998). Poor and dependent seniors in Canada. Ageing and Society, 18(2), 147–166.Google Scholar
Chesley, N., & Poppie, K. (2009). Assisting parents and in-laws: Gender, type of assistance, and couples’ employment. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 71(2), 247–262.Google Scholar
Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter (CCNCTO). (2006). Chinese Canadian seniors. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Retrieved February 4, 2011, from http://www.ccnctoronto.ca/seniors/isan.htmlGoogle Scholar
Cranford, C.J., & Vosko, L.F. (2006). Conceptualizing precarious employment: Mapping wage work across social location and occupational context. In Vosko, L.F. (Ed.), Precarious employment: Understanding labour market insecurity in Canada (pp. 43–66). Montreal, Quebec, Canada: McGill-Queen’s University Press.Google Scholar
Cranswick, K., & Dosman, D. (2008). Eldercare: What we know today. Canadian Social Trends, (winter) no.86, 48–56. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Statistics Canada (Catalogue no. 11-008). Retrieved February 3, 2010, fromhttp://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-008-x/2008002/article/10689-eng.pdfGoogle Scholar
Dempsey, C. (2005). Elderly immigrants in Canada: Income sources and self-sufficiency. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Retrieved October 18, 2009, from http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/research-stats/elderly.pdfGoogle Scholar
Dietz, T.L. (2001). The Mexican American elderly and supplemental security income: Reasons and characteristics associated with nonuse. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 20(3), 292–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dodge, H.H. (1995). Movements out of poverty among elderly widows. Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 50(4), S240–S249.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Durst, D. (2005). More snow on the roof: Canada’s immigrant seniors. Canadian Issues, (spring), 34–37. Retrieved January 29, 2010, from http://canada.metropolis.net/pdfs/durst_e.pdfGoogle Scholar
Elgersma, S. (2007). In brief: Immigrant seniors’ economic security and International Social Security Agreements. Retrieved July 27, 2008, from http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/prb0745-e.pdfGoogle Scholar
Elmelech, Y., & Lu, H.H. (2004). Race, ethnicity, and the gender poverty gap. Social Science Research, 33(1), 158–182.Google Scholar
Gazso, A. (2005). The poverty of unattached senior women and the Canadian retirement income system: A matter of blame or contradiction? Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare, 32(2), 41–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gerber, L.M. (1983). Ethnicity still matters: Socio-demographic profiles of the ethnic elderly in Ontario. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 15(3), 60–80.Google Scholar
Green, A.G., & Green, D.A. (1999). The economic goals of Canada’s immigration policy: Past and present. Canadian Public Policy, 25(4), 425–452.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heisz, A., & Langevin, M. (2009). Material deprivation in household panel surveys: International evidence and lessons for Canada. Paper presented at the Annual Meetings of the Canadian Economics Association, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Google Scholar
Jenson, J. (2004). Canada’s new social risks: Directions for a new social architecture. CPRN Social Architecture Papers Research Report F|43 Family Network. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Policy Research Networks. Retrieved August 24, 2009, from http://www.cprn.org/documents/31815_en.pdfGoogle Scholar
Kaida, L., Moyser, M., & Park, S.Y. (2009). Cultural preferences and economic constraints: The living arrangements of elderly Canadians. Canadian Journal on Aging, 28(4), 303–313.Google Scholar
Kalleberg, A.L. (2009). Precarious work, insecure workers: Employment relations in transition. American Sociological Review, 74(1), 1–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, G.Y., & Angel, R.J. (2002). Living arrangements and supplemental security income use among elderly Asians and Hispanics in the United States: The role of nativity and citizenship. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 28(3), 553–568.Google Scholar
Lewin, A.C., & Stier, H. (2003). Immigration, state support, and the economic well-being of the elderly in Israel. Research on Aging, 25(3), 195–223.Google Scholar
Lian, J.Z., & Matthews, D.R. (1998). Does the vertical mosaic still exist? Ethnicity and income in Canada, 1991. The Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, 35(4), 461–481.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marier, P., & Skinner, S. (2008). The impact of gender and immigration on pension outcomes in Canada. Canadian Public Policy, 34(Supplement), 59–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLaren, A.T. (2006). Parental sponsorship – Whose problematic? A consideration of South Asian women’s immigration experiences in Vancouver. Vancouver Centre of Excellence, Working Paper Series, No. 06-08. Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Vancouver Centre of Excellence.Google Scholar
Myles, J. (2000). The maturation of Canada’s retirement income system: Income levels, income inequality and low income among older persons. Canadian Journal on Aging, 19(3), 287–316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nakhaie, M.R. (2006). A comparison of the earnings of the Canadian native-born and immigrants, 2001. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 38(2), 19–46.Google Scholar
Ng, C.F., Northcott, H.C., & Abu-Laban, S.M. (2007). Housing and living arrangements of South Asian immigrant seniors in Edmonton, Alberta. Canadian Journal on Aging, 26(3), 185–194.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parliament of Canada. (no date). LEGISinfo 39th Parliament – 2nd session (Oct. 16, 2007-Sept. 7, 2008). Bill C-362 home page: Status of the bill. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library of Parliament, Retrieved September 3, 2009, from http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Sites/LOP/LEGISINFO/index.asp?Language=E&Chamber=N&StartList=A&EndList=Z&Session=15&Type=0&Scope=I&query=5160&List=statGoogle Scholar
Picot, G., Lu, Y., & Hou, F. (2009). Immigrant low-income rates: The role of market income and government transfers. Perspectives on Labour and Income, 10(12), 13–27.Google Scholar
Porter, J. (1965). Vertical mosaic. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: University of Toronto Press.Google Scholar
Rendall, M.S., & Speare, A. (1995). Elderly poverty alleviation through living with family. Journal of Population Economics, 8(4), 383–405.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rupp, K., Strand, A., & Davies, P. (2003). Poverty among elderly women: Assessing SSI options to strengthen social security reform. Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 58B(6), S359–S368.Google Scholar
Ryder, N.B. (1955). The interpretation of origin statistics. Canadian Journal of Economics and Political Science, 21(4), 466–479.Google Scholar
Service Canada. (2011). Overview of the old age security program. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Service Canada, Retrieved February 4, 2011, from http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/isp/oas/oasoverview.shtmlGoogle Scholar
Smeeding, T.M., & Sandström, S. (2005). Poverty and income maintenance in old age: A cross-national view of low-income older women. Feminist Economics, 11(2), 163–197.Google Scholar
Statistics Canada. (2004). Low income cutoffs from 1994 to 2003 and low income measures from 1992 to 2001. Income Research Paper Series. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Statistics Canada (Catalogue no. 75F0002MIE - No.002). Retrieved August 24, 2009, from http://www.statcan.ca/english/research/75F0002MIE/75F0002MIE2004002.pdfGoogle Scholar
Statistics Canada. (2010). 2006 census dictionary. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Statistics Canada Census Operational Division (Catalogue no. 92-566-X). Retrieved April 1, 2010, from http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/ref/dict/pdf/92-566-eng.pdfGoogle Scholar
Statistics Canada. (no date). 2006 census public use microdata file (PUMF) – Individuals file documentation and user guide. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Statistics Canada (Catalogue no. 95M0028XVB).Google Scholar
Thomas, K., & Wister, A. (1984). Living arrangements of older women: The ethnic dimension. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 46(2), 301–311.Google Scholar
Turcotte, M., & Schellenberg, G. (2007). A portrait of seniors in Canada: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Statistics Canada (Catalogue no. 89-519-XIE). Retrieved August 24, 2009, from http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/89-519-XIE/89-519-XIE2006001.pdfGoogle Scholar
Veall, M.R. (2008). Canadian seniors and the low income measure. Canadian Public Policy, 34(s1), 47–58.Google Scholar
Wanner, R.A., & McDonald, P.L. (1986). The vertical mosaic in later life: Ethnicity and retirement in Canada. Journal of Gerontology, 41(5), 662–671.Google Scholar
Wilmoth, J., & Chen, P.C. (2003). Immigrant status, living arrangements, and depressive symptoms among middle-aged and older adults. Journals of Gerontology Series B-Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 58B(5), S305–S313.Google Scholar
Wilmoth, J.M., DeJong, G.F., & Himes, C.L. (1997). Immigrant and non-immigrant living arrangements among America’s White, Hispanic, and Asian elderly population. International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 17(9/10), 57–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Willson, A.E., & Hardy, M.A. (2002). Racial disparities in income security for a cohort of aging American women. Social Forces, 80(4), 1283–1306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar