We currently provide day care facilities for over 150 Asian elderly (mainly women over the age of 60) every Wednesday afternoon, with the following planned activities and provisions on a rolling basis:

  • Advise and inform about health and community care legislation through translations and interpreters in Asian languages.
  • Enabling better understanding and access to statutory services.
  • Seminars and demonstrations on disability issues/aids for independent living.
  • Bi-weekly workshops for healthy living - diet & exercise including customised Keep Fit, Salsa Dancing, Tai Chi, yoga and Meditation.
  • Welfare advice, referrals and representations.
  • Social and civic education through discussions.
  • Educational (ESOL, ICT, internet and email) trainings and recreational activities.
  • Befriending to increase participation to reduce isolation and loneliness.
  • A light snack is provided at 3 pm and the volunteers organise the preparation, washing-up etc.
  • Day care for low/medium and high end users.
  • Respite care.
  • Health information (in diffferent Asian languages).
  • Advice and/or referrals
  • Consultation with the elderly & their carers.
  • Addressing current issues of concern, mental health, coronary diseases, diabetes etc.
  • Liason or/and representaion.
  • Befriending and mutual help (volunteering)

We are already working with the Elderly Services Section of the Social Services. Assessments for high need end users are being undertaken by the care managers and Spot Contracts will be dated back to April 1996. We have also informed the local Asian groups who refer their clients to us. We play an active part in identifying and addressing the needs of asian elderly in consultations and steering group meetings. We have also shared our research about the current issues facing the Asian elderly with the Grants Unit and the Social Services.

Besides providing statutory day care, this project will have the additionality in offering provision to the groups denied through assessments or not being in the category of very high need.