Att bli gammal i ett främmande land. : En kvalitativ studie om äldre syriska invandrares perspektiv på åldrande och socialt stöd.

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study was to increase understanding of how older Syrian migrants experience aging in Sweden as well as their perspective on needs related to aging and how these needs can be met. The empirical base of the study was eight semi-structured qualitative interviews. In addition, theories about Maslow's hierarchy of needs and social support were applied to the study to enable a further analysis of our respondents' perspectives on aging, perspectives on Swedish elderly care and perspectives on relative support. The result of the study shows that our respondents feel that it is difficult to see how their needs as elderly people can be met. They live in a country with a different language and culture without having any knowledge about the new country. They also believe that the responsibility lies mainly on their relatives instead of searching for help or support from the public elderly care, because they think that the help offered by the elderly care is not prepared to their individual needs. The study concluded that our respondents think that aging in a foreign country does not give the same feeling as aging in their home country. Learning a new language is certainly not easy for them. It is also not easy for them to live in a new society with its norms, culture, and tradition. All of our respondents are dependent on their adult children and need help with various things. This help that children provide for their elderly parents is an obligation in their culture.