Although increasing attention has been devoted to macro-level outcomes of elderly migration, a need remains for micro-level data focusing on the effects of changes in setting on the identities of elderly migrants. Following an interactionist perspective of migration, this proposal extends previous theories of elderly migration to examine the relationship between elements of the migration process to the content and acquisition of place identities. It hypothesizes that both variation in the content of place identities and how they are acquired are a funciton of several factors: residence histories and experiences, migrant expectations, level and content of community interaction, length of residence, rates of in- and out-migration, and demographic composition of the community. Data for this research come from fieldwork in a community located in Barnstable County (Cape Cod), Massachusetts. Four data sets will be collected over an 18-month period: (1) extensive interviews of elderly residents from three neighborhoods which vary in their degree of age-segregation; (2) in-depth interviews of recent elderly migrants at three points in time; (3) a community-wide survey of non-elderly residents' attitudes toward and interaction with the elderly; and (4) observations of community life focusing on the elderly. Data analysis and writing of results will extend the project period to a total of 26 months. This research is of direct significance for both the elderly who are considering migrating and for the communities which will receive these migrants. From the standpoint of elderly migrants, it explores the factors which influence the search for potential destinations, as well as those which contribute to the decision to move. More importantly, it seeks a detailed answer to the question of why some migrants report residential satisfaction after relocation while others do not. From the standpoint of areas receiving elderly migrants, this research embraces many fundamental community issues: the provision of public services to the elderly; the willingness of older persons to pay for services which benefit primarily the non-elderly (and vice versa); and the degree to which elderly migrants and those aging-in-place express similar views on major local issues.
| Cuba, L; Longino Jr, C F (1991) Regional retirement migration: the case of Cape Cod. J Gerontol 46:S33-42 |
| Cuba, L (1991) Models of migration decision making reexamined: the destination search of older migrants to Cape Cod. Gerontologist 31:204-9 |
