Posts related to Languages

Lost in Translation: Google’s Translation of Palliative Care to ‘Do-Nothing Care’

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by Cynthia X. Pan, MD, FACP, AGSF. This article originally appeared on the GeriPal blog.


My colleagues often ask me: “Why are Chinese patients so resistant to hospice and palliative care?” “Why are they so unrealistic?” “Don’t they understand that death is part of life?” “Is it true that with Chinese patients you cannot discuss advance directives?”

As a Chinese speaking geriatrician and palliative care physician practicing in Flushing, NY, I have cared for countless Chinese patients with serious illnesses or at end of life.  Invariably, when Chinese patients or families see me, they ask me if I.... Read More

             

Elder Refugees in the Bluegrass State Face Challenge of Language Barriers

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by Rhonda Miller. This article originally appeared on WKU Public Radio. This is part one of a three part series; read part two here and read part three here.

One of the biggest barriers refugees face when they arrive in America is learning English.  A program in Louisville, Kentucky helps refugees who are 60 and older cross the language barrier.

“How long has she been in the United States?”

(Conversation in Kinyarwanda language) “One year and five months.”

“So she came here when she was 88 years old?”

“She was 89.”

Interpreter Patrick Bagaza speaks with 90-year-old Therese Nyamubyeyi during a trip with the Louisville Refugee Elder Program to.... Read More
             

Finding Housing When Mom Doesn’t Speak English

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by Debbie Swanson. This article originally appeared on Next Avenue.

Finding assisted living or nursing care for a parent is never easy. The situation is further complicated when the individual in question is not fluent in English because he or she either never became totally versed in the language or aging has introduced difficulties.

“Patients with dementia often revert to their mother language,” explains Dr. Ivan Merkelj, medical director for Palm Beach PACE at MorseLife Health Systems. “The part of the brain that stores a learned language is different than the mother language, and they feel more comfortable with their.... Read More

             

Da Kine Pidgin Is Sweet Upon The Tongue

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by Carolyn Ayon Lee. This article was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat.

Were it not for Hawaii’s Pidgin English, I doubt my Grandma and I, her first grandchild, could’ve understood each other, she knowing very little English, and I, an ignoramus about her mother language, Korean.

Love can help build bridges, but for a meeting of the hearts and minds, one needs a basic common vocabulary.

Pidgin comes into play when I communicate with my father, David, whose native language is Korean. Actually, Dad is fluent in Japanese and can handle Mandarin Chinese, too. Nope, none of these Asian languages is familiar to me. I know far more Spanish and German, even Latin,.... Read More

             

The City of Seattle Human Services Department Invests $20,000 to Strengthen Support for Korean and Vietnamese Caregivers

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The City of Seattle Human Services Department awarded $20,000 to the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) to evaluate the readiness of Seattle’s Korean and Vietnamese caregivers for Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral (TCARE®), an evidence-based care management process.

NAPCA will partner with Tailored Care Enterprises, LLC., the operating company and founder of TCARE®, to evaluate Korean and Vietnamese caregivers’ readiness for TCARE® by engaging with caregivers, Seattle professionals, Korean- and Vietnamese-serving community-based organizations, and community members.

“This partnership is aligned with the City of Seattle’s Area Plan on Aging to expand the scope of services and the reach to new populations and communities through the Community Living Connections and King.... Read More

             

Bringing Elders and Youth Together to Learn Language, Life Skills

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I am a huge fan of intergenerational programming. Both children and elders can feel silenced by a world that tends to privilege people of other ages, and there’s something powerful about meeting and learning from the people who’ve come before or the people who will usher in the future. As a teenager in upstate New York, I volunteered most weekends at the assisted living facility where my grandmother resided. It was an opportunity for me to spend more time with my grandma and give back to my community — something that was already starting to feel important in my budding social justice activist soul. I’d help staff run activities in the facility’s large common area or assist with more menial tasks,.... Read More

             

Living the Legacy: Keeping the Comanche Language and Culture Alive

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Moribund: In terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigor. (Oxford Dictionary)

“Languages across the world are in crisis. Half of the world’s languages are “moribund, spoken only by adults who no longer teach them to the next generation.” The language loss among North American indigenous people is “especially acute,” where an estimated 155 languages are still spoken, if you add in the Alaskan Native languages. Of these 135 are moribund; and the U.S. Census of 1990 indicated that one-third of these have fewer than 100 speakers. “Native American Language Immersion: Innovative Native Education for Children and Families” Pease Pretty On Top, J.

My mother, Geneva Woomavoyah Navarro, was born in the small town of.... Read More

             

10 Key Points to Know About Health Disparities among Asian American and Pacific Islander Elders (National Minority Health Month)

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In recognition of National Minority Health Month, the Diverse Elders Coalition is featuring stories relevant to the health disparities and health issues affecting diverse older adults during April. A new story will be shared every Wednesday with additional posts shared throughout the month. Be sure to visit diverseelders.org regularly during the month of April.

April is National Minority Health Month. It is a great time to raise awareness of the health disparities that affect racial and ethnic minorities.

In the spirit of raising awareness, here are 10 important things you should know about health disparities among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) elders including some helpful resources from the Read More

             

The Road Less Traveled: Medicare and the Medicare Savings Programs as a Potential Solution for the Underinsured Immigrant

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Every year, the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) receives over 9,500 phone calls through a national, toll-free, Asian language Helpline from limited and non-English speaking seniors needing help understanding benefit programs for which many are eligible but unable to access.

Mrs. Pang and Mrs. Taduran (not their real names) represent thousands of immigrant seniors in the United States, who are legal permanent residents but have little or no work history in this country and go without adequate healthcare because they cannot access affordable insurance. Many are eligible for Medicare or Medicare Savings Programs but are unaware of their.... Read More

             

Give Your Medicare Part D Coverage an Annual Checkup

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October is an important month for adults needing to secure insurance coverage. Not only is October 1st open enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace, but October 15th is the beginning of the Medicare Part D Open Enrollment period. Once enrolled in a prescription drug plan, it’s easy to forget the importance of checking annually to make sure your current plan is the most appropriate and cost effective.

The lack of in-language assistance available to Asian American and Pacific Islander elders makes it challenging for many to.... Read More

             

Language, Idioma, 語, ភាសា: Speaking limited English can pose unique challenges for older people

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According to the Census Bureau, about 20% of people speak a language other than English at home. That’s 1 in 5 people! And over the years, this number has only grown. The Census Bureau has developed a map that shows in which parts of the country these people live. What the map shows is that there are people whose preferred language is not English in all but the most sparsely populated parts of the country. Language access is a civil right, and these rights are reflected in federal law. It is also becoming more common to see instructions on packages, advertisements, and other messages translated into languages other than English, as well. When it comes to language.... Read More

             

In-Language Assistance and AAPI Elders

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BY SCOTT PECK, DIRECTOR OF POLICY, NATIONAL ASIAN PACIFIC CENTER ON AGING

One of the most difficult challenges of low-income AAPI elders is the ability to access programs and services designed for their specific needs.  Critical is the ability to access in-language assistance to elders who are limited-English-proficient (LEP).  Limited English proficiency has profound effects on AAPI elders to access essential services and understand their rights and obligations.

For example:

A 2007 study conducted by the National Senior Citizens Law Center found that foreign language translators that assist with health plan inquiries, as required of health plan sponsors by law, were only able to serve limited.... Read More