Chinese Outreach

The Chapter is proud to introduce the Chinese Outreach program as the newest addition to its ever-evolving multicultural outreach efforts. The program — the Chapter’s first-ever initiative designed specifically for Chinese speaking New Yorkers — was made possible by a grant from the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, Inc., and is headed by Hong Kong native Fai Lin Lau, who recently joined the Chapter as the Program Manager.

New York City is home to nearly 400,000 Chinese residents, many of whom are over the age of 60. Ms. Lau, who is working to develop and supervise all aspects of the Chinese Outreach program, works directly with families to provide them with the information and guidance they need in both Mandarin and Cantonese. Much of her work takes her to community meeting places, senior centers and health fairs where she presents information about dementia and caregiving.

“The number of Chinese-speaking New Yorkers over the age of 60 is growing, yet Alzheimer’s and dementia are not often talked about openly in the Chinese community,” said Ms. Lau. “The Chapter has recognized a growing need for information and services in the Chinese community and has taken action to make sure this need is met. I am thrilled to have been chosen to lead the new program.”

The Chapter currently offers dementia care training in Chinese to Home Care workers, as well as care consultation and presentations in Chinese. Ms. Lau will also help develop and oversee Chinese-language support groups.

Ms. Lau served previously as Social Work Supervisor at Hamilton-Madison House Knickerbocker Village Senior Services NORC, and at several other vital New York organizations, including the New York Asian Women’s Center and the LaGuardia Senior Center. She earned her Masters Degree in Social Work at the Hunter College School of Social Work.

Please contact me at 646-744-2951 or by e-mail at fllau@alznyc.org for additional information and assistance.

— Fai Lin Lau, MSW
Manager, Chinese Outreach

African-American Outreach

This summer, African-American Outreach has been successful in its efforts to create a stronger presence in Brooklyn through forging new relationships with senior centers and community centers alike.

Directly across the street from the Hugh Gilroy Senior Center is the Weeksville Heritage Center, which is the landmark site where the first African-American families settled in the 1800s. Today, the Weeksville Heritage Center serves as a venue for rich cultural and historic events. On a bright Saturday morning, African-American Outreach held an informational event adjacent to the Weeksville Green Market, which is a draw for many seniors. We had a table with Chapter literature and spoke to nearly 40 people throughout the morning. Later, we held an informal Power Point presentation and picnic for the small audience. African-American Outreach hopes to hold similar outreach events in conjunction with other programs at this important community site.

Hugh Gilroy Senior Center, located in the Kingsborough Houses in Bedford Stuyvesant, is an important community resource not only for the multi-generational residents who live there but also the surrounding community. The Senior Center Director, who has personal experience with Alzheimer’s disease, invited the Chapter to take part in a health awareness campaign for seniors and their families. In addition to providing onsite educational seminars, African- American Outreach offered information about the Chapter’s programs and services for people with dementia, caregivers, family members and professionals.

African-American Outreach is interested in hearing from you. Please contact me at 646-744-2922 or by
e-mail at rirving@alznyc.org if you are a member of or know organizations where we could speak about
Alzheimer’s disease and the resources available at the NYC Chapter.

— Rosemary Irving, LCSW
Manager, African-American Outreach

Latino Outreach

According to a 2008 study by Focalyst, Hispanics represent about 10% of the 78 million Baby Boomers in the U.S., or about 7 million people. This number is only expected to increase over the next 25 years. Therefore, it is vital that American society develop a better understanding of the diverse needs and attitudes of older Hispanics. Specifically, the health care system will need to become more culturally sensitive to the beliefs and values of the Hispanic community to better serve their needs.

As diverse as the Hispanic population is, the Baby Boom generation represents an even more diverse subgroup. Hispanic Boomers can be bicultural, acculturated (having adjusted to North American culture) or unacculturated (staying true to their cultural roots with little acclimation to local culture). Each of these subgroups exhibits characteristics of its own, with views that make them unique when it comes to caring for someone suffering from memory problems. The differences among Hispanic Boomers are reflected in the ways they cope with caring for someone with dementia. For instance, some Hispanic Boomers could be inclined toward nursing home placement while others are inclined toward care at home or a combination of both.

It is important to remember that we can’t make generalizations about the Hispanic community. Although a caregiver could be categorized within a specific subgroup (bicultural, acculturated or unacculturated), there are always exceptions to the rule of how they will choose to care for someone. An individual that’s considered unacculturated, for instance, may decide to institutionalize his relative while the social expectation is that they will care for the relative at home until the end, regardless of the medical condition.

Society at large has to be prepared to deal with the needs of not only the Hispanic Boomers but also those of the many other groups that coexist in North American society.

Please feel free to contact me at 646-744-2949 or by e-mail at lvalois@alznyc.org if you need assistance
or additional information.

Visit our Fall 2008 newsletter En Español.

— Licet Valois V., MSW, MPS
Manager, Latino Outreach

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