Uprooting and resettlement experiences of South Asian immigrant women

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to examine and understand the challenges faced by elderly women from India who immigrated to Canada. Ten women were interviewed about their experiences with immigration and resettlement. The analysis of interview data involved iterative process, through which four themes were identified. These themes were isola-tion and loneliness, family conflict, economic dependence, and settling in and coping. The par-ticipants experienced loss because of changes in traditional values and lack of social support. Because the participants could not manage resettlement on their own, personal independence was not very important. Interdependence for the attainment of emotional security and social rewards was more desirable. Health care professionals must take into account the nature of stress and impact of these experiences on health of older immigrant women. Immigration to a different country and adjustment to a new way of life affect immigrants of all ages and backgrounds. Elderly immigrants find uprooting and resettlement more difficult. This is especially true of South Asian immigrant women in Canada. Resettlement is not simply a matter of adapting to a new culture; it includes the challenge of maintaining lifelong beliefs and practices while at the same time learning new ways to establish a harmonious life in the new country. Resettlement can be a life crisis (Hattar-Pollara & Meleis, 1995; Hulewat, 1996; Shin & Shin, 1999). The immigration experience affects the whole family. The family that acts as a buffer to the demands of immigration has been cited both as a source of stress and a source of support (Aroian, Spitzer, & Bell, 1996; Meleis, 1991). Studies among Indians and Pakistanis living in Britain reveal that the extended family that unilaterally supports its elders is a myth and that these elders expect to return to their homelands (Barker, 1984; Bhalla & Blakemore