Immigration and Loneliness in Later Life

Although the loneliness of both older adults and immigrants is frequently assumed, knowledge regarding the implications of immigration for loneliness in later life is limited. In particular, little attention has been directed to the impact of factors that might differentiate within the immigrant population. Using data from the 2007 General Social Survey (GSS-21) conducted by Statistics Canada, this study examined the effects of immigrant status, age at immigration and immigrant generation on loneliness among adults aged 60 and over (N = 5,477). Regression analyses (OLS) estimating both the general and age-specific effects of immigrant experience on loneliness, indicated that immigrants report higher levels of loneliness than native-born Canadians and that age at immigration and generational status also had an impact, but one that differed across age groups. Overall, immigration-related variables appeared less consequential for loneliness in the oldest-old (aged 80+) than in younger age groups. These findings attest to the significance of immigrant status for an understanding of loneliness in later life but suggest a need to acknowledge the diversity of immigrant experiences associated with life course factors such as age at immigration and generational status.