Experiences of older Polish migrants in the United Kingdom – questioning the older migrants’ image in migration literature

The experiences and migration strategies of senior migrants differ significantly from those of their younger counterparts. However, since migration flows are dominated by younger migrants, the recent Polish migration discourse tends to present the younger migrants’ perspective. This article addresses this research gap by exploring the migration experience of older Polish migrants to the United Kingdom (UK). The types of older migrants currently living in the UK are discussed: namely those who have lived in the UK for several decades and those who have migrated late in life. The experiences and attitudes of both groups are then explored and compared in order to expose several assumptions concerning older migrants: the immobility of seniors; the vulnerability of older migrants; and seniors migrating exclusively as part of care networks. The article is based on qualitative research conducted in the UK in 2005–2009 and in 2017