In the beginning of class, we shared our thoughts on our visit to the LGBT center last week. While most of us remarked on the seniors’ hospitality and engagement in the discussion, one of our classmates recounted his conversation with a senior who was unhappy about aging and the activity she considered useless. While the senior’s comments were unexpected, they were not wrong. Although there are many advantages to aging, aging can be unpleasant, especially for people who lack necessary support and resources. The senior’s distaste for aging showed the multi-faceted nature of aging and the pressures many people face as they age. Building a community that supports healthy aging for everyone remains a challenge.
After the debrief, we continued our book discussion series, this time focusing on the diversity of American families. I personally relate to the family relationship portrayed in the reading “Elders in Southeast Asian Refugee Families” that explores how Asian elders lose their voice in the family because they are unfamiliar with the language and culture in the United States. I have experienced the same changes in family structure after moving to America. Back in our homeland, my grandparents (and parents) were the family advisers and had dominant position over younger generations, but their roles reversed after moving to the United States. Since my grandparents and parents do not speak English, they rely on their children for translation and navigating the U.S. systems. Though we still respect our parents and grandparents, we do not seek advice from them as much as we did back in our homeland because they are not familiar with the new culture/systems and thus cannot offer much help. This shows that family relationships are dynamic and constantly changing in response to changes in sociocultural environment. Also, the stereotypical image of American families portrayed in mainstream media conceals the diversity of family structures in the United States.
After the debrief, we continued our book discussion series, this time focusing on the diversity of American families. I personally relate to the family relationship portrayed in the reading “Elders in Southeast Asian Refugee Families” that explores how Asian elders lose their voice in the family because they are unfamiliar with the language and culture in the United States. I have experienced the same changes in family structure after moving to America. Back in our homeland, my grandparents (and parents) were the family advisers and had dominant position over younger generations, but their roles reversed after moving to the United States. Since my grandparents and parents do not speak English, they rely on their children for translation and navigating the U.S. systems. Though we still respect our parents and grandparents, we do not seek advice from them as much as we did back in our homeland because they are not familiar with the new culture/systems and thus cannot offer much help. This shows that family relationships are dynamic and constantly changing in response to changes in sociocultural environment. Also, the stereotypical image of American families portrayed in mainstream media conceals the diversity of family structures in the United States.