ELDERLY PROGRAM

Elders were traditionally venerated in Vietnamese culture. They were treated with great respect and given roles of authority within families and communities. In the United States, Vietnamese elders have lost this special status and consequently, they often feel isolated and useless. Most Vietnamese elders lack financial resources, and live on fixed, low incomes. Many suffer from some degree of functional impairment. The drastic changes they have experienced in their lives oftentimes have lead to profound feelings of depression and loneliness.

Connecting Elders With Peers and Community Resources
The bilingual staff members of the VSS Elders Program provide an array of services to help Vietnamese elders connect with their peers and with the support resources they need to stay healthy and active. Staff provide rides to medical services, retail stores, banks, and entitlement program offices. They make sure that clients get full access to services by assisting them fill out complex application forms and providing interpretation. Friendly home visits by VSS volunteers provide opportunities for social contact, as well as for monitoring the health and safety of homebound and frail elders. Program participants enjoy field trips to cultural activities and parks, and many participate regularly in the English and citizenship classes offered by VSS. Twice a month, 30 to 40 elders attend congregate meals featuring Vietnamese cuisine.

Many of the Elders Program activities are provided on-site at VSS. Others are held at accessible community locations such as Riverside Plaza in Minneapolis and Skyline Towers in St. Paul, where large numbers of elderly Vietnamese reside.

Avoiding Costly Institutionalization
Vietnamese elders, like elders generally, wish to remain as independent as possible, for as long as possible. All of VSS' elders services are aimed at helping elderly Vietnamese continue to live in their own homes, while ensuring that they have access to a safety net of health and social services. In addition to giving elders a higher quality of life, the program delays the need for costly nursing home care.