Aging and Ethnicity Responding to Diversity in Senior Services WoodGreen Community Services.

Aging and EthnicityResponding to Diversity in Senior Services

WoodGreen Community Services


WoodGreen provides service to seniors and older adults with disabilities to help achieve the best quality of life possible.


WoodGreen’s mission is to deliver services that promote wellness and self-sufficiency, reduce poverty and inequality and build sustainable communities.


Ethnicity in Social Services“...Ethnic and ‘racial’ groups are not homogeneous entities; they differ in terms of their social class composition, gender, age, place of birth, and so on.”

Social Workers must take all factors into account to provide service that truly accommodates all cultures.

Satzewich V. & Liodakis N. (2007). ‘Race ‘ and Ethnicity in Canada.


Toronto: A City of Neighbourhoods


Ward 31: Beaches - East YorkSouth Asian and Greek

9.6% - “Mother tongue” is a South Asian language5.1% - Bengali speakers (then Urdu and Tamil)

VS4% - in the City of Toronto as a whole

-----------------------------------------------

8.2% - Self-Identify as South Asian

Source: City of Toronto Ward Profiles, Statistics Canada Census. 2006.

Ward 30: Toronto DanforthChinese

20.5% - "mother tongue” is a Chinese languageCantonese 9.6%; Mandarin 3.1%; other 7.8%

VS

9.5% - for the City of Toronto as a whole------------------------

22% - Identify as Chinese




Ward 29: Toronto DanforthGreek

10.7% report Greek as their "mother tongue”------------------------

13% - Identify as Greek VS

1.6% - City of Toronto as a whole.




Barriers/ Issues of our Clients Isolation Caregiver Stress Low income Declining Health (Coping

with Chronic illness), Mental Health, Dementia

Dependence on sponsor Language barriers Knowledge of the system Loss of ‘anchor’ person Abuse

Case Study: David 72 years old Identifies as Greek Living with his Daughter’s family Relationship with family is abusive Paid portion of the mortgage, rent monthly Daughter and family occupy the client’s space Client stated that he feels threatened and neglected by

his family



Critical Questions1) What are my personal beliefs about entitlement of

seniors re: family support?2) How do I react personally to this situation?3) How do I separate the clients needs from my own belief

system re: what seniors need?4) How does the client’s ability level, culture and socio-

economic status intersect to create a unique situation?


Intervention1) Assess the client’s situation for abuse2) Provide the client with emergency services and after

hours support 3) Inform about legal rights4) Provide supportive counselling & mediation 5) Refer to CCAC: Personal Support Worker to replace

caregiver with formal support

62 years old Came to Canada as refugee from Pakistan Lives with son and his family including three young children Diagnosed with progressive degeneration disease Client is bed-ridden Son is the sole income earner The daughter-in-law is the primary caregiver; she lately shows symptoms of depression.

Case Study- Sataia


Critical Questions

1) What is my knowledge of the refugee experience in Canada? How does this impact the client?

2) What is my personal bias regarding the role of the son as “sole income earner”?

3) What is my personal bias regarding caregiver burnout/boundaries? How does my culture/ social location impact this?



Intervention1) To assess client’s needs with reference to the

whole family2) To work with the son to help client so as to

relieve the son’s stress.3) Help client access resources: hospital bed,

subsidized housing, financial assistance, day care in the neighbourhood

4) Refer to CCAC: Personal care/ respite care and work in collaboration

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Case Study - Matthew 61 years old, Legally Blind Cantonese speaking only Sponsored by his one of his sisters from China 20 years ago No family involvement Rents basement apartment for past 10 years Chinese-speaking Landlord is his ‘anchor’ and ‘gatekeeper’ No medical history Recently hospitalized after being found wandering Client instructed to take eye drops 4x/day at home after discharge

Critical Questions

1) What assumptions do I have regarding sponsorship and the role of his sister/family?

2) What is my bias as a Chinese worker?3) What culturally-appropriate services should we

consider?


1) To assess client’s situation with landlord’s input2) CCAC Referral for Visiting Nurse and Cantonese-speaking

family physician made by hospital3) Cantonese-speaking medical escort4) Housing application to Supportive Housing site5) Work with CNIB for Mobility specialist and Life Skills Coach6) Keep regular contact with Landlord and Meals on Wheels

staff

Intervention


Creativity of Social Work Liaise with internal colleagues and external providers to

offer more accessible resources Working with various parties as interpreters Cantonese/ Mandarin speaking social workers available Community visits to make communication easier i.e.

home visits, hospital visits




Adapting to Diversity in ProgrammingSupportive Housing/Home Support: Provide Chinese focused housing and multicultural PSWsMeals on Wheels: Chinese meals availableFriendly Visiting/Escort: Provides service in several languages such as English, Tamil, Gugarati, Cantonese, Greek, Italian, French, SpanishAdult Day Program: Chinese focused option, all other cultures/ languages are welcome Doc Clinic: Support provided in Chinese



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Aging and Ethnicity Responding to Diversity in Senior Services WoodGreen Community Services.

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