Older African Caribbean women: the influence of migration on experiences of health and well-being in later life

The question of what constitutes good health and well-being varies amongst migrant
minority ethnic groups and is not necessarily simply linked to the absence of illness,
or the physical capability of the body. In 1995, the launch of the World Health
Organisation (WHO) programme on ageing and health sought to promote a proactive
and positive approach to health in later life. In this, key components included; life
course issues, health promotion, cultural diversity, gender, intergenerational
relationships, and ethics. Similarly, the National Service Framework for Older
People (NSFOP) focuses on the promotion of activity, independence, and choice, as
key components of health and well-being in later life. This paper considers the extent
to which these underlying themes, about what it means to age successfully and
healthily, resonate with the experiences of older African Caribbean women in the
United Kingdom. Drawing on qualitative research, the paper highlights the impact of
migration and ethnic and cultural diversity, across the life course, on the health and
well-being of older African Caribbean women.