The Social Shifts in Muslim Family Relations with the Elderly in the Somali Diaspora Community

Abstract

As new Muslim immigrants, the elders are the most vulnerable and susceptible in experiencing greater challenges as they are disconnected from their familiar ways of life and faced with difficulties in adjusting. The purpose of this study was to examine changes to the Muslim family relations that pertained to the elderly Somali immigrants in the diaspora. The study also intended to assess for alterations to the status of the elders in the Somali diaspora community as well as challenges they encountered as new immigrants. To gather the data, the study employed a qualitative research method, which included the production and distribution of survey questionnaires which were shared with the targeted participants physically and through online means. The targeted participants for the study were the Somali people living in the diaspora in Kenya and in Western countries. The findings revealed that the Somali diaspora community demonstrated positive qualities of family relations with the elders and that the respondents demonstrated genuine understanding of being supportive and reliable to the elders.