Latinx Older Adults: A Multi-System Lens

Abstract

Older Latinx adults are among the fastest growing and most heterogeneous aging populations in the United States, projected to triple in size by 2060. Their experiences of aging are shaped by the intersections of historical, structural, and cultural forces that influence health, economic security, and caregiving roles. These forces not only reflect conditions in the early 21st century but are also rooted in long-standing inequities, including labor-market exclusion, immigration policies, systemic discrimination, and gaps in access to health care and social protections. This entry reviews persistent health and mental health disparities, elevated risks of economic precarity, and the central importance of family and community networks while also emphasizing the structural contexts in which these risk factors, disparities, and outcomes operate.

A multi-system lens, encompassing macro, meso, and micro levels of social work practice, is used to frame the discussion. At the macro level, policies, historical contexts, employment protections, immigration and legal status, labor-market inequities, regional policy differences, systemic discrimination, and access collectively impact opportunities and barriers for equitable aging. At the meso level, institutions, including health care systems, community organizations, and social service programs, often contribute to the access and delivery of linguistic and cultural needs of their clients, creating potential barriers to engagement. At the micro level, families navigate caregiving demands that both strengthen intergenerational ties and contribute to caregiver strain. This multi-system lens highlights how structural barriers are intertwined with opportunities throughout aging trajectories, even as cultural practices and community solidarity provide resilience and meaning.

Practice and policy implications underscore the importance of structurally informed interventions that address cumulative impacts across the life course while centering Latinx voices. Future research should utilize disaggregated data, employ longitudinal analysis, and incorporate community-engaged approaches to ensure that research priorities align with the lived realities of Latinx older adults.