title: Aging in Lebanon: Challenges and Opportunities.
abstract: This spotlight offers a unique window into factors affecting aging in Lebanon. As a bridge between east and west, both geographically and culturally, Lebanon has the fastest growing older adult population in the Arab region, but few societal resources to address its needs. In a country with a history of political instability and war, but also a culture with strong family values, aging adults in Lebanon are vulnerable in some ways and advantaged in others. Outmigration of youth is an important determinant of the wellbeing of the elderly. While often advantaged by remittances sent by their children, older Lebanese adults have less access to instrumental social and personal support previously provided by young adults in the family. How Lebanon manages these challenges is likely to foreshadow the future aging experience for much of the Arab region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion and Community Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Sawsan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdulrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminology, Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Michigan. kajrouch@emich.edu.
authors.forename: Kristine J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Ajrouch
authors.affiliation: Survey Research Center, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Toni C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Antonucci
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D018912:Arabs / Q000523:psychology*; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D004651:Employment; D005191:Family Characteristics; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations / Q000208:ethnology*; D007861:Lebanon; D011157:Population Dynamics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants
keywords: Arab; Emigration; Family; Lebanon; Stress