This research aims to explore and document the experiences and perceptions of a diverse elderly ethno-cultural group of people of different educational backgrounds with compromised autonomy in Québec as they deal with the social services and day-to-day activities in a system and language they are not familiar with. The term compromised autonomy can mean a wide range of things including a person’s cognitive dysfunction and independence of movement, but we are taking the term here to refer to the physical lack of ability to be mobile. The participants will be immigrant seniors, males and females from professional as well as working class groups who have immigrated to Québec from different societies and often face culture shock. This study will document the stress that results from losing familiar signs and symbols of social interactions– and the factors related to identity and self-esteem among older immigrants in Montreal. To do so, we will explore the post-migratory experiences of ten seniors who we are recruiting through personal contacts in the Greater Montreal area.
Contact:
Ratna Ghosh, CM, OQ, PhD., FRSC
(514) 398-4527 Ext. 094761
Department of Integrated Studies in Education
3700 McTavish, Room 322
McGill University
Montreal, Quebec H3A 1Y2
