Resilience in Japanese Older Immigrants in Canada and the Role of Community Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Japanese people make up a small proportion of the population in Canada, and there are limited resources to meet their specific needs. Thus, older Japanese Canadians were particularly affected by disrupted support and service systems when COVID-19 public health orders were implemented. The objective of this study was to explore how Japanese older immigrants cultivated resilience in overcoming challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and how a community service agency supported the process. In this qualitative study, seven community-dwelling Japanese older immigrants and five agency staff participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were thematically analyzed using a conceptual lens of resilience, which refers to the ability to survive and thrive in the face of adverse life experiences. Our analysis yielded three themes: (1) Challenges and concerns associated with digital literacy, English literacy, COVID-19, and the future; (2) Individual sources of physical, mental, and social resilience; and (3) Agency-supported sources of resilience that enable management of health, safety, and daily life, connection, and belonging. The findings advance our understanding of the ways in which older immigrants cultivate resilience in the face of adversity and how programs and services can help older immigrants cope with adversity to meet their needs. Implications for service provision include ensuring systems are in place to digitally connect older adults to programs, support home maintenance and housekeeping, and engage older adults in the development of new programs.