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

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

3. WoodGreen Community Services WoodGreens mission is to deliver services that promote wellness and self- sufficiency, reduce poverty and inequality and build sustainable communities.

4. WoodGreen Community Services 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.

5. WoodGreen Community Services Toronto: A City of Neighbourhoods

6. WoodGreen Community Services Ward 31: Beaches - East York South Asian and Greek 9.6% - Mother tongue is a South Asian language 5.1% - Bengali speakers (then Urdu and Tamil) VS 4% - 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.

7. Ward 30: Toronto Danforth Chinese 20.5% - "mother tongue is a Chinese language Cantonese 9.6%; Mandarin 3.1%; other 7.8% VS 9.5% - for the City of Toronto as a whole ------------------------ 22% - Identify as Chinese Source: City of Toronto Ward Profiles, Statistics Canada Census. 2006. WoodGreen Community Services

8. Ward 29: Toronto Danforth Greek 10.7% report Greek as their "mother tongue ------------------------ 13% - Identify as Greek VS 1.6% - City of Toronto as a whole. Source: City of Toronto Ward Profiles, Statistics Canada Census. 2006. WoodGreen Community Services

9. 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

10. Case Study: David 72 years old Identifies as Greek Living with his Daughters family Relationship with family is abusive Paid portion of the mortgage, rent monthly Daughter and family occupy the clients space Client stated that he feels threatened and neglected by his family WoodGreen Community Services

11. Critical Questions 1)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 clients ability level, culture and socio- economic status intersect to create a unique situation?

12. WoodGreen Community Services Intervention 1)Assess the clients situation for abuse 2)Provide the client with emergency services and after hours support 3) Inform about legal rights 4) Provide supportive counselling & mediation 5) Refer to CCAC: Personal Support Worker to replace caregiver with formal support

13. 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 WoodGreen Community Services

14. 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? WoodGreen Community Services

15. Intervention 1) To assess clients needs with reference to the whole family 2) To work with the son to help client so as to relieve the sons 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

16. WoodGreen Community Services 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

17. 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? WoodGreen Community Services

18. 1)To assess clients situation with landlords input 2)CCAC Referral for Visiting Nurse and Cantonese-speaking family physician made by hospital 3)Cantonese-speaking medical escort 4)Housing application to Supportive Housing site 5)Work with CNIB for Mobility specialist and Life Skills Coach 6)Keep regular contact with Landlord and Meals on Wheels staff Intervention WoodGreen Community Services

19. 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 WoodGreen Community Services

20. Adapting to Diversity in Programming Supportive Housing/Home Support: Provide Chinese focused housing and multicultural PSWs Meals on Wheels: Chinese meals available Friendly Visiting/Escort: Provides service in several languages such as English, Tamil, Gugarati, Cantonese, Greek, Italian, French, Spanish Adult Day Program: Chinese focused option, all other cultures/ languages are welcome Doc Clinic: Support provided in Chinese

21. WoodGreen Community Services Questions and Comments