Preferred Care in Later Life Among Japanese Canadians

ABSTRACT

This paper explores preferences for care among minority seniors. Two generations of Japanese Canadians, those who came from Japan and those who were born in Canada as children of Japanese immigrants, participated. Vignettes are used to define situations of care and multidimensional scaling is employed for analyses. Care preferences differ by generation, marital status, Income and ethnic identity among these ethnic seniors. The findings suggest that preferences for care in later life are socially constructed and personally redefined. The study applies the double boundary theory of ethnicity and points out the importance of examining intra-ethnic group differences in care preferences which may bring a better understanding of culturally sensitive care provision.

Key Words:

• Minority elderly
• ethnicity and aging
• preferences in care
• generation
• intra-ethnic differences