Psychosocial Support Services for Older Adults
in a Vietnamese Community
Presented by
HongChau Thuy Tang
CSU Long Beach, School of Social Work
May of 2012
--Introduction-Since very few, resources and culture-based psychosocial support services are in
place for the Vietnamese immigrant elders in their native languages in Orange County,
California, the proposed program will focus on addressing and fulfilling their needs.
Many researchers indicated that social activities and interactions with others from
their native country could help elder immigrants improve and adapt to a new life easily
in the United States as well as enhance their cognition with daily life functioning (Mui &
Kang, 2006).
According to U.S Census Bureau (2002), the older immigrant population is not
proficient in English, which limits their access of resources through the formal social
services
In a study of the immigrant elders and elders in minority communities such as
Cambodian, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, and Jewish, reports of loneliness and isolation
were widespread. However, the majority of the elders in these communities were
unaware of any social or health services that could help them overcome these
problems and adjust to their new situations (Strumpf, Glicksman, Goldberg-Glen, Fox,
& Logue, 2001).
--Social Work Relevance--According to Lam-Tang (2008), the activity
centers are becoming the primary
destinations for older adults because the
centers provide older adults learning
experiences and coping activities for daily
living (ADL) within a safe and secure
environment. With these ADL, older adults
can improve their interaction and socialization
towards independent living.
-Alwin’s and Wray’s (2005) study concluded that
the support group is extremely important to
the aging population and it allows geriatric
social workers to find ways to improve the
quality of life for older adults.
--Cross-cultural Relevance--
- According to Becker (2003), immigrant elders
and elders in the minority communities have
difficulties in adapting their lives to a new
setting. As a result, they are not fully aware
of services that can help them overcome
the problems to adjust their life to new
situations. Therefore, social workers need
to be more involved with the needs of
immigrant older adults and to provide
appropriate and culturally competent
assistance to this population. Moreover, the
social workers must advocate for the
services in native languages of the older
adults that are needed in immigrant
communities.
--Methodology-a) Target Population
- Vietnamese older adults in Orange County at the age of 60
and up with limited and non-speaking English skills.
- Approximately 135,548 Vietnamese reside in Orange
County (U.S Census Bureau, 2000)
b) Strategies Used to Identify & Select a Funding
Source
- Use web researching
- Web sources: federal, state, county, and private foundation.
c) Identify the Funding Source Selected
- State of California (www.a.gov.grants.html)
- U.S Department of Health and Human Services
(www.hhs.gov/grants)
- National Institutes of Health (www.nih.gov)
- National Council on Aging (www.ncoa.org)
- Grant.gov (grant.gov)
- California Department of Aging (ww.aging.ca.gov)
- California Wellness Foundation (www.tcwf.org)
--Methodology-(continued)
d) Sources Used for the Needs Assessment
California Department of Aging (CDA)
Because Statistical and descriptive data
from the CDA were used to assess how
this department monitors the health, wellbeing, and life quality of older adults.
e) Projected Budget Range and Categories
By sharing the CAD's goals, the Activity
Center of Older Adults (ACFOA) will
provide comprehensive psychosocial
services with cultural support to enhance
the quality of life for the elderly
Vietnamese population in the Orange
County area.
--Grant Proposal-Five things will include in the grant proposal such as program summary and description;
population served; sustainability; program objectives; program evaluation.
a) Program Summary and Description:
- These services ACFOA intend to provide to Vietnamese elderly in Orange county
area such as health educational workshops, socialization and support groups;
nutritional and dietary information along with exercise groups; and community
outreach. Moreover, the proposed support services also include attending local
meetings to distribute informational brochures and educational booklets to the
Vietnamese community.
b) Population Served:
- Vietnamese older adults in Orange County at the age of 60 and up with English, limited, and
non-speaking English skills.
c) Sustainability:
- 60% of annual funding of ACFOA's proposed program is mainly from Wencheng
Corporation, and some of the private businesses and foundations.
- 25% of the operation funds will be provided from federal, state, and local grants.
- 15% of remaining funds will be covered from sliding scales and in-kind donations.
--Grant Proposal-(continued...)
d) Program Objectives:
- Provide cultural support services to the Vietnamese elderly to assist them in adapting to
a new environment and with health, wellness, and language issues.
- Provide an individual clinical consultation as well as a treatment plan to the Vietnamese
elderly along with case management and direct services,
- Conduct presentation on nutrition, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle.
- Locate resources and coordinate services to meet the needs of the Vietnamese elderly.
- Provide transportation services to the Vietnamese elderly from home to ACFOA facility
and other essential appointments, including medical appointments.
e) Program Evaluation/ Outcomes: By providing culturally based psychosocial support
services, individual therapy treatments, education about health, wellness, and nutrition,
local resources, and transportation
- < 75% of the Vietnamese elderly (VE) will improve their quality of life and be more aware
of stressors that adversely affect their wellness.
- < 50% of the VE at the center will understand more about their health condition and
other related illnesses.
- < 75% of the VE will become healthier and their life expectancy will lengthen.
- < 30% of the VE at the center will meet their needs and improve their quality of life.
- < 50% of the VE will not miss their appointment with their doctors and they will likely
engage in more daily healthy activities and be active in the community.
Lessons Learned/Implications for Social
- Grant writing is a very important skill that social workers need to develop, especially during times
of budget cuts. Not only do social workers work in direct practice, but they also work behind the
scenes ensuring the long-term continuation of programs.
- Social workers strive to improve the quality of life for individuals who are unable to help
themselves. Creating a program that is comprehensive and incorporates multiple domains
including the community, family, and individual/ peer are most effective when working with groups.
Presenting the effectiveness of programs is vital and most important in receiving funding.
Therefore, the social worker must present program effectiveness by evidence-based practice. The
ability to show effective deliverable outcomes and research methods will be necessary because
not only to receive funding, but also to improve the quality of life for those individuals who are
seeking cultural support services.
- Major challenges in this grant writing process were to make sure that all the deadlines were met
by the funders. Since the field of grant writing is extremely competitive, the grant writer
determined the directions for following the funder's requirements and its criteria. One of the most
important is the agency’s demonstration of an effective evidenced-based thorough research. In
addition, showing program uniqueness may ensure appropriate funding levels. This grant writer
had to be detailed, unique, and evidence-based in order to distinguish her grant above the others
that are being submitted.
--References-- Alwin, D., & Wray, L. (2005). A life-span developmental perspective on social status and health.
Journal of Gerontology, 60B, 7-14.
- Becker, G. (2003). Meanings of place and displacement in three groups of older immigrants.
Journal of Aging Studies, 17, 129-149.
- California Department of Aging. Retrieved from http://ww.aging.ca.gov
- California Wellness Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.tcwf.org
- Grant.gov. Retrieved from http://www.grant.gov
- Lam-Tang, E. (2008). Review and analysis of programs.
Retrieved from http://www.socialserviceforelders.org
- Mui, A. & Kang, S. (2006). Acculturation stress and depression among Asian immigrant elders.
Social Work, 51(3), 243-250.
- National Council on Aging. Retrieved from http://www.ncoa.org
- National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from http://www.nih.gov
- State of California. Retrieved from http://www.a.gov.grants.html
- Strumpf, N., Glicksman, A., Goldberg-Glen, R., Fox, R., & Logue, E. (2001). Caregiver and elder
experiences of Cambodian, Vietnamese, Soviet Jewish, and Ukrainian refugees. International Journal of
Aging and Human Development, 53, 233-252.
- U.S Census Bureau. (2000). Total number of Vietnamese population in Orange County.
Retrieve from http://www.census.gov
- U.S Census Bureau. (2002). The older foreign-born population in the United States: 2000.
Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/p23-211.pdf
- U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/grants