Language Retention and Supplemental Security Income Among Older Euro-American Communities

The elderly compose 37% of the Euro-American population, a figure far above the 11% found in the American population in general. Those early immigrants have now become a dependent portion of the population and in need of assistance, formal or informal. Our study investigates the influence of variousfactors (English language ability, ethnic language, poverty, and education) on involvement with formal income programs, namely, Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The 1980 census data on SSI as a source of income for Euro-immigrant groups in New York City suggest that retention of an ethnic language, controlling for English language ability, has a negative effect on SSI participation rates. Poor English language ability is not by itself a significant factor in the low level of SSI use.