Studies on Aging and Migration in Latin America and the Caribbean

The relationship between aging and migration has evolved from various topics of interest and is marked by the social and migratory characteristics of the territories where research has been carried out. A systematic review of the literature allows us in this chapter to analyze how the relationship between aging processes and migrations in Latin America and the Caribbean has been addressed. We identified the following lines of development: (a) sociodemographic analysis exploring the impact of migration on population aging in the countries of origin and destination of migrants, (b) aging and care, particularly the (re)organization of care for older people when children emigrate. Here, care tasks are distributed unequally according to gender and the familial nature of Latin American populations where a “moral obligation to care” prevails; (c) voluntary or involuntary return of the aging migrant population and the difficulties experienced in the process of social and economic integration on return; and (d) the well-being, health, and mental health of older people with direct migratory experience (i.e., migrants) or indirect (i.e., a close relative of a migrant). While scientific production on aging and migrations is scarce in Latin America, the relationship between migration policies and public health is becoming apparent. Specific approaches are needed to address the needs of this population and the emerging gaps in healthcare access gaps.