Elderly migrants in Denmark Status, research results and experiences By Grete Madsen at the ENIEC Meeting 1 March 2007

How many? In Denmark 50 – 64 years 30.700 65+ 11.700 65+ 11.700 In the City of Copenhagen 50 – 64 years 6.900 (= 22% of in DK) 65+ 2.500 (= 21% of in DK) 4% of 65+ citizens in Cph. are migrants. In 2011 the figure is expected to be 7%

How many 65+ in 2016? In Copenhagen In 2006 2.500 In 2016 4.400

Who are they? The largest nationality groups are from: Ex-jugoslavia (double as many as the two other groups) Pakistan Turkey Also Morocco, Iraque, Iran, China, the Philipines (in order after how many there are)

Their income situation 65+ with an annual income below €14,000: Turkey 83% Ex-Yugoslavia 75% Pakistan 79% Danish background 17%

Receiving nursing home services In Copenhagen: Citizens with foreign ethnic background approx. 1,5% (around 40 persons) Danish background approx. 6%

Apartments adjusted for the elderly In Copenhagen Citizens with foreign ethnic background 6% (approx 150) Danish background 6%

Home care services In Copenhagen Citizens with foreign ethnic background 10% Danish background 28%

Day center activities In Copenhagen Citizens with foreign ethnic background >1% Danish background 4%

20 dialogue-meetings with 100 migrants in Copenhagen - results Made in 2004. Defined barriers: Language difficulties Bad economy Lack of knowledge of the service offers in Cph. Lack of daily network They don’t know how to address the system/lack of understanding and knowledge of the system

Recommendations Educate staff to respect and understand the differences in culture, religion and language More interpreters available More information meetings and pamflets Preventive home visits earlier than 75 years (which is the normal standard for all citizens in Copenhagen) Extra focus on getting the migrants to use and participate in the existing day activities offered Especially network activities/day offers and information on public services and interpreters have been in focus.

Plans – City of Cph. The next years the city will focus and spend ressources on: education of staff (intercultural communication) preventive home visits to all migrants at an age of 60 Health Center in all local areas with specific offers to migrants psycho-social health promoting activities in urban housing areas examine the migrants needs and wishes in relation to nursing home care (Malik, Mia and Hanne can complement)

The announced speaker, Charlotte Egeblad’s research project With Charlotte’s consent…………. A study of qualitative interviews with elderly Turkish, Iranean and Palaestinian men and women over 50 All 1st generation migrants (born and raised in another part of the world)

Characteristics? Yes – and no. They are very different – as regards to: Migration background How long they have stayed in DK Social and cultural background from their native country Living conditions in DK Gender + age Personal life story

Results – common characteristics It is a painful experience growing old in a foreign country The world around them are changing rapidly They have no shared/common images of a life as elderly to lean on They are pioneers, as they have to invent new meanings of life in the process of growing old They feel isolated and lonely They are slowly loosing their authority and social role within the family They are afraid of the future

Loneliness They do not understand the persons, with whom they interact – and vice versa They miss terribly to have meaningful & close relations in their daily life, people to share history and memories with Lack of being together in a meaningful context See themselves as strangers and different than the majority Difficulties with the Danish language

Objectives and challenges The elderly shall not look for Danish ways of being old, they must find their own ways to grow old The elderly migrants should increasingly have the feeling of being Danish citizens. This objective challenges the areas: knowledge, education and the ability to create networks outside of the family structure.