Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T16:16:33.630Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Role of Ethnicity and Religion in the Social Support System of Older Dutch Canadians

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 September 2016

Joanne van Dijk
Joanne van Dijk*
Affiliation:
McMaster University
*
Joanne van Dijk, Ph.D. Department of Society, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4M4, (vandijk@mcmaster.ca)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper focuses on the role of religion and ethnicity in providing social support for elderly Dutch Canadian Catholic and Calvinist parents and in establishing ethno-religious retirement and long-term care facilities. The data come from a 1995 survey of elderly Dutch Canadian immigrants (N = 79) and their adult children (N = 364) examining intraethnic differences in ethnic persistence and parent care. Continuity theory provides the theoretical framework for this study. In the last few decades, second generation Dutch Calvinist immigrants have been busy establishing retirement and long-term care facilities to look after the needs of the older Calvinist generation. Dutch Catholic immigrants have established very few retirement and nursing homes for their elderly members. Ethnic and religious differences influence the kind of support available to elderly Dutch Canadians.

Résumé

Ce mémoire explore le rôle de la religion et de l'ethnicité dans le soutien social offert aux aînés canado-hollandais de religion catholique et calviniste, et dans la création de maisons de retraite et d'établissements de soins de longue durée ethno-religieux. Les données proviennent d'un enquête menée en 1995 auprès d'immigrants âgés canado-hollandais (N = 79) et de leurs enfants adultes (N = 364) pour étudier les différences intra-ethniques associées à la longévité et à la prise en charge des parents. La théorie de la continuité a servi de cadre à cette étude. Depuis les demières décennies, la deuxième génération d'immigrants hollandais calvinistes s'est activement occupée de créer des maisons de retraite et des établissements de soins de longue durée pour la génération plus âgée. De leur côté, les immigrants hollandais catholiques ont créé très peu de maisons de retraite et de maisons de soins infirmiers pour leurs aînés. Les différences ethniques et religieuses influent sur le type de soutien dont les aînés canado-hollandais peuvent se prévaloir.

Keywords

social supportethnicityreligionDutch Canadiansimmigrantslong-term care facilitiesagingsoutien socialethnicitéreligioncanado-hollandaisimmigrantsétablissements de soins de longue duréevieillissement
Type
Research Article
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , Spring 2004 , pp. 21 - 34
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2004

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.)

References

Atchley, R. (1989). A continuity theory of normal aging. The Gerontologist, 29(2), 183–190.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Becker, G. (1993). Continuity after a stroke: Implications of life-course disruption in old age. The Gerontologist, 33(2), 148–158.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bienvenue, R., & Havens, B. (1986). Structural inequalities, informal networks: A comparison of native and nonnative elderly. Canadian Journal on Aging, 5(4), 241–248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bond, J.B. Jr., Harvey, C.D.H., & Hildebrand, E.A. (1987). Familial support of the elderly in a rural Mennonite community. Canadian Journal on Aging, 6(1), 7–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burton, L., Kasper, J., Shore, A., Cagney, K., LaVeist, T., Cubbin, C., & German, P. (1995). The structure of informal care: Are there differences by race? The Gerontologist, 35(6), 744–752.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Chen, A. (1998). From sunbelt to snowbelt: Filipinos in Canada. Calgary, AB: McAra.Google Scholar
Clarke, C., & Neidert, L. (1992). Living arrangements of the elderly: An examination of differences according to ancestry and generation. The Gerontologist, 32(6), 796–804.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Connidis, I. (2001). Family ties and aging. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Cool, L. (1981). Ethnic identity: A source of community esteem for the elderly. Anthropological Quarterly, 54, 179–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Denton, M. (1997). The linkages between informal and formal! care of the elderly. Canadian Journal on Aging, 16(1), 30–50.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Disman, M. (1988, October). Resurgence of ethnicity in later years. Paper presented at the Canadian Association of Gerontology Meetings, Halifax, NS.Google Scholar
Disman, M., & Disman, M. (1995). Seniors, culture and institutionalization. In Neugebauer-Visano, R. (Ed.), Aging and inequality: Cultural constructions of differences (pp. 205–223). Toronto, ON: Canadian Scholars' Press.Google Scholar
Driedger, L., & Chappell, N. (1987). Aging and ethnicity: Toward an interface. Toronto, ON: Butterworth.Google Scholar
Elliott, K.S. (1995). Maintaining cultural and personal continuity in a Danish nursing home. Journal of Women and Aging, 7(1–2), 169–185.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ellison, C.G., & George, L.K. (1994). Religious involvement, social ties, and social support in a southeastern community. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 33(1), 46–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hendel-Sebestyen, G. (1979). Role diversity: Toward the development of community in a total institutional setting. Anthropological Quarterly, 52, 19–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hendricks, J. (2000). Book review. The Gewntologist, 40(4), 498–499.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ishwaran, K. (1980). Canadian families: Ethnic variations. Toronto: McGraw-Hill Ryerson.Google Scholar
Johnson, T.R. (1995). The significance of religion for aging well. American Behavioral Scientist, 39(2), 186–208.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kalbach, M.A., & Kalbach, W.E. (2000). The importance of ethnic-connectedness for Canada's postwar immigrants. In Kalbach, M.A., & Kalbach, W.E. (Eds.), Perspectives on ethnicity in Canada: A reader (pp. 182–204). Toronto, ON: Harcourt.Google Scholar
Kart, C. (1987). Age and religious commitment in the American-Jewish community. In Gelfand, D.E., & Barresi, C.M. (Eds.), Ethnic dimensions of aging (pp. 96–105). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Kastenbaum, R. (1979). Reflections on old age, ethnicity and death. In Gelfand, D.E. & Kutzik, A.J. (Eds.), Ethnicity and aging: Theory, research, and policy (pp. 81–95). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
Keefe, J., Rosenthal, C., & Beland, F. (2000). The impact of ethnicity on helping older relatives: Findings from a sample of employed Canadians. Canadian Journal on Aging, 19(3), 317–342.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koenig, H.G. (2000). The importance of religious community to older adults. The Gewntologist, 40(1), 112–114.Google Scholar
Leder, D. (1996). Spiritual community in later life: A modest proposal. Journal of Aging Studies, 10(2), 103–116.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Litwin, H. (1995). The social networks of elderly immigrants: An analytic typology. Journal of Aging Studies, 9(2), 155–174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Luborsky, M., & Rubinstein, R.L. (1987). Ethnicity and lifetimes: Self-concepts and situational contexts of ethnic identity in late life. In Gelfand, D.E. & Barresi, C.M. (Eds.), Ethnic Dimensions of Aging (pp. 35–50). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
MacLean, M.J., & Bonar, R. (1987). Cooperative practice to overcome socially constructed hardship for ethnic elderly people. In Gelfand, D.E. & Barresi, C.M. (Eds.), Ethnic dimensions of aging (pp. 211–223). New York: Springer.Google Scholar
MacLean, M.J., & Bonar, R. (1983). The ethnic elderly in a dominant culture long-term care facility. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 15(3), 51–59.Google Scholar
Mindel, C.H., Habenstein, R.W., & Wright, R. Jr., (1998). Ethnic families in America: Patterns and variations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.Google Scholar
Morrison, B.J. (1995). A research and policy agenda on the predictors of institutional placement among minority elderly. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 24(1–2), 17–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moseley, C.B. (1994). Nursing home ownership and quality of care. The Journal of Applied Gerontology, 23(4), 386–397.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mui, A.C., Choi, N.G., & Monk, A. (1998). Long-term care and ethnicity. Westport, CT: Auburn House.Google Scholar
Myerhoff, B. (1980). Number our days. New York: E.P. Dutton.Google Scholar
Neugebauer-Visano, R. (1995). Aging and inequality: Cultural constructions of differences. Toronto, ON: Canadian Scholars' Press.Google Scholar
Payne, B., & Strain, L. (1990). Family support in later life: Ethnic group variations. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 32(2), 99–110.Google Scholar
Pereira, I., Lazarowich, N.M., & Wister, A. (1996). Ethnic content in long term care facilities for Portuguese and Italian elderly. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 28(2), 82–97.Google Scholar
Rosenthal, C. (1993). Aging in the family context: Are Jewish families different? In Brym, R., Shaffir, W., & Weinfeld, M. (Eds.), The Jews in Canada (pp. 344–357). Toronto: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Rowles, G., Concotelli, J., & High, D. (1996). Community integration of a rural nursing home. The Journal of Applied Gerontology, 15(2), 188–201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schryer, F.J. (1998). The Netherlandic presence in Ontario: Pillars, class and Dutch ethnicity. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press.Google Scholar
Shalom Manor Resident Satisfaction Survey. (2001, May). Cited with permission.Google Scholar
Tarasoff, K.J. (Ed.). (1995). From Russia with love: The Doukhobors [Special Issue]. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 30 (3).Google Scholar
van Dijk, J. (2001). The role of religion in the postwar settlement patterns of Dutch Canadians. The Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, 38(1), 57–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
van Dijk, J. (1998). Ethnic persistence among Dutch-Canadian Catholics and Calvinists. Canadian Ethnic Studies, 30(2), 23–49.Google Scholar
van Dijk, J. (1996). Ethnicity, aging, and support among Dutch Canadians: A study of community in two generations of Catholics and Calvinists. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON.Google Scholar
Walsh, A. (1990). Statistics for the social sciences with computer applications. New York: Harper and Row.Google Scholar
Woehrer, C.E. (1982). The influence of ethnic families on intergenerational relationships and later life transitions. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 464, 65–78.CrossRefGoogle Scholar