“I feel like her daughter not her mother”: Ethnographic trans-cultural perspective of the experiences of aging for a group of Southeast Asian refugees in the United States

ObjectiveThis study seeks to understand trans-cultural aging and stressors for aging refugees. It describes the experiences of Cambodian refugee women as they age in the United States.MethodExperiences of 16 Cambodian refugee women (ages 44–60), participants of a Cambodian community health center support group, were examined over a year.ResultsAnalysis revealed complex experiences of aging in the U.S. including these: (a) loss of role as respected elder, (b) fear of living separate from children, (c) feeling devalued by children, and (d) feeling self-blame for intergenerational cultural gap. The women described years of employment interrupted by the exacerbation of post-traumatic symptoms later in life preventing further employment.DiscussionAn ethnographic trans-cultural perspective of the experiences of aging for Southeast Asian refugees. Aging refugees face stressors even 20–30 years after resettlement. Findings show decrease in functioning as survivors of torture age. Recommendations for social service programs and providers are made.