Grant: Summer Program in Aging

Without a secure sense of social belonging, older adults can experience loneliness, isolation, and feel ostracized in the communities they live in (De Jong Gierveld et al., 2015). These exclusionary experiences are detrimental to their wellbeing as they encounter barriers towards cultivating meaningful relationships. Thus, the ability to feel a sense of belonging is an essential part of healthy ageing in a post-migratory context (Nielson et al., 2017). Immigrant Muslim older (IMO) women's experiences of belongingness have not been explored or identified in the literature. Their belongingness is by ageism, and by gender, race, and religious discrimination (Salma & Salami, 2020). This qualitative descriptive study aimed to explore how immigrant Muslim older (IMO) women in Edmonton, Alberta cultivated social belonging. A thematic sub-analysis of photo-elicitation interview data was completed. Participants are community-dwelling older adult (55+) women who self-identify as Muslims. Participants have taken pictures of what they felt socially connected to, then were interviewed about these photos afterwards. The analysis was informed by an intersectional life course perspective. The findings showcased the complexity of transnational connections, the impact of memories through the lifetime, and the importance of connectedness to who they identify as family. This research is significant as it focuses on how IMO women can thrive in the communities they live in and what supports they need to experience a sense of belongingness as they age in Canada. This research informs nurses about equitable health outcomes and how belongingness is a shared responsibility between immigrants and the larger society.