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Raj Razdan, MSe, MS, Senior Citizen Program, Inc., 4059 Keswick Drive, Atlanta, GA 30339, 770-333-9781, rrazd01@yahoo.com
Approximately 10% of the Asian Indian population in the US is 60 years or older. The elderly population is made up of both citizens naturalized in the US and recent immigrants from South Asia; while these two groups differ widely, they share many similar concerns. Research on the South Asian elderly attending a non-profit organization in Atlanta, Georgia have identified such concerns as: loneliness, lack of mobility, lack of health care benefits, dependence on children, physical disability, cultural shock, handicapped thinking process and transportation. Many elderly would be more active in senior programs if they had transportation. Most participants are unable to drive and they rely heavily on their children who often times are not able to bring them to the programs due to their schedules. Adult children of seniors are devoted to their parents and have many anxieties and concerns about caring for their South Asian elderly parents. These include, leave of absence from work and loss of wages if their parents become sick. The Senior Citizen Program, Inc. (SCP), a non-profit organization in Atlanta, Georgia addresses these emotional and socio-cultural needs of senior citizens and their families. The SCP successfully brings support and information to elders through guest speakers and organized recreational programs and can serve as a model for other programs that aim to improve the well-being of the South Asian elderly.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Elderly, Asian Americans
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.