Alaska Native Community-Engaged Aging Lab
Publications and Presentations
Our team presents and publishes work regularly at conferences and community events. Our latest dissemination and community engagement activities can be found on this site.
This paper outlines a unique culturally driven cyclical migration of Alaska Native Elders. This Indigenous cyclical migration is distinct from other previously described mobility observations in that Elders spend extended time in more than one community. We describe the cyclical migration of Alaska Native (AN) Elders and its influence on the Elders’ identity, health, and well-being. Employing a life course perspective and social theory of migration, inductive content analysis was employed to identify themes related to Elders’ cyclical migration between rural and urban communities and the impact on their identity, health, and well-being. Interviews with 125 AN Elders were conducted across five regions of Alaska: Bristol Bay, Interior, Norton Sound, Aleutian Pribilof Islands, and Southcentral. AN Elders traveled between rural and urban communities to access resources and connections critical to their identities, health, and well-being. Urban Elders maintained a connection to rural villages because they perceived them as healthier places to age based on access to traditional practices, land, and the community. Rural Elders spent extended time in urban settings to access health care services, be closer to family, and benefit from the lower costs of living. This study builds upon existing migration theories by introducing a cyclical pattern uniquely driven by AN identity, culture, and traditional practices. Findings illustrate how AN communities can support Elders who experience cyclical migration patterns to ensure they age successfully in both locations. Future recommended research should explore cyclical migration patterns among other Indigenous populations with histories of migration.
Lewis, J. P., Kim, S. M., & Asquith-Heinz, Z. (2023). Cyclical Migration in Alaska Native Elders and its Impact on Elders’ Identity and Later Life Well-being, The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, gbad072, https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbad072
This paper outlines a unique culturally driven cyclical migration of Alaska Native Elders. This Indigenous cyclical migration is distinct from other previously described mobility observations in that Elders spend extended time in more than one community. We describe the cyclical migration of Alaska Native (AN) Elders and its influence on the Elders’ identity, health, and well-being. Employing a life course perspective and social theory of migration, inductive content analysis was employed to identify themes related to Elders’ cyclical migration between rural and urban communities and the impact on their identity, health, and well-being. Interviews with 125 AN Elders were conducted across five regions of Alaska: Bristol Bay, Interior, Norton Sound, Aleutian Pribilof Islands, and Southcentral. AN Elders traveled between rural and urban communities to access resources and connections critical to their identities, health, and well-being. Urban Elders maintained a connection to rural villages because they perceived them as healthier places to age based on access to traditional practices, land, and the community. Rural Elders spent extended time in urban settings to access health care services, be closer to family, and benefit from the lower costs of living. This study builds upon existing migration theories by introducing a cyclical pattern uniquely driven by AN identity, culture, and traditional practices. Findings illustrate how AN communities can support Elders who experience cyclical migration patterns to ensure they age successfully in both locations. Future recommended research should explore cyclical migration patterns among other Indigenous populations with histories of migration.
Lewis, J. P., Kim, S. M., & Asquith-Heinz, Z. (2023). Cyclical Migration in Alaska Native Elders and its Impact on Elders’ Identity and Later Life Well-being, The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, gbad072, https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbad072
Protective Factors in the Context of Successful Aging
in Urban‐Dwelling Alaska Native Elders
Successful aging in rural Alaska communities has been established as a characteristic best described by reaching “Eldership,” conveying reverence and respect from the community and implying leadership responsibilities. Most Alaska Native (AN) Elders believe that aging successfully or aging well happens within their home communities.
However, limited rural resources lead Elders to relocate to urban settings. While protective factors supporting aging well in rural communities have been established, little is known about which factors support aging well after relocation to an urban setting. This exploratory, qualitative, community-based participatory
research study explored AN Elder’s (ages 48–84) experiences comparing successful aging within four rural Alaska communities and of Elders who relocated from a rural to an urban community. Thirteen rural-based Elders and 12 urban-based Elders semi-structured interviews were compared to explore how successful aging was experienced similarly and differently in rural and urban settings.
To age well in urban Alaska, access to health care services, family, and community engagement were essential. The main challenges for urban Elders involved establishing a sense of community, intergenerational involvement, and the ability to continue traditional ways of living. This research identified challenges, similarities, and differences in aging well in an urban community. The findings of this study inform practices, services, and policies to improve existing urban services and initiate needed urban services to foster successful aging after relocation from remote rural areas into urban communities in Alaska.
Kim, S., M., Lewis, J., P. (2023). Protective Factors in the Context of Successful Aging in Urban Dwelling Alaska Native Elders. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology. 10.1007/s10823-023-09493-3