Settling In Palmerston North and Feilding - Human Rights Commission

3.8 POSITIVE AGEINGCommunity Voices‘In a university setting there is information – many elderly and illiterate migrants are 10 times more isolated and this can lead to mentalillness’‘We need English for the doctor, lawyer, the accountant. ’We need to know English especially to use community services’‘Language line doesn’t always work. I phoned IRD and got transferred to someone in Malaysia. She has different expressions and wedon’t understand each other.’‘Can someone help us (the elderly) to use cellphones?’‘What we want most is a retirement home run in Chinese, with Chinese food, Chinese language communication and Chinese languageactivities.’From focus groups April/May 2009IntroductionThere are many challenges in ensuring that older residents of a community are valued and are able to participate in the community in theways that they choose. For the older people within migrant and refugee families, these challenges can be particularly daunting. While youngerfamily members may quickly pick up the English language, older members often find this more difficult, making them reliant on their immediatefamily for socialisation and interaction within their community. Communication is a significant issue for older migrant and refugee residents– limited English can result in extreme loneliness and isolation and can also create barriers in terms of accessing services that might help.Some grandparents report that a lack of English can mean that they are not even able to communicate with their grandchildren. Critical issuesfor older newcomer residents also arise around elder care options (rest homes may be considered culturally inappropriate) and meeting thespiritual needs of sick and terminally ill older family members. The focus group feedback also reflected the sorts of generic issues that manyolder people experience, such as transportation difficulties, living alone support, loneliness and disconnection from society.It is important to remember that almost a third of the overseas-born residents of Feilding are aged 60 or over. Although many of these residentshave been in New Zealand for a long time, they may have some specific needs in relation to positive ageing and their cultural backgroundsthat need to be taken into account.Key Issues (feedback from focus groups) 34Support Network• ‘We need organised outings and social gatherings. We want more activities in our language’• ‘We know it’s good to see friends and do things together, we want more of that. Give us help to organise them.’• ‘Want to know what‘s happening in the community at large’.• ‘Want to meet and get to know more Kiwi New Zealanders and understand one another’.• ‘No support network for ageing members’• ‘We should have a community centre which could bring all Hindu groups together for social cultural and religious activities. This will help toease any isolation people especially elderly migrants facing in Palmy.’• ‘Loneliness and isolation’• ‘Organise social outings for elderly’• ‘Homesickness is a major problem for older migrants in particular, andloss of friendships’• ‘Isolation/Lack of social interaction and participation in the community’• ‘Providing for our old age – a suitable retirement home’• ‘Establish a retirement home for the Chinese elderly, with services suitedto us.’• ‘Insufficient support when living alone’• ‘We have visited many retirement homes in Palmerston North, and wedon’t feel at home in them. Chinese food is very important to us, andunderstanding what the notices are.’• ‘A suitable retirement home – What we want most is a retirement homerun in Chinese, with Chinese food, Chinese language communicationand Chinese language activities.’Learning English at the Anglican Friendship Centre• ‘Elderly people feel lonely when children go to school’34This feedback comprises direct quotes from focus group participants or notes as interpreted andpresented by facilitators.SETTLING IN PALMERSTON NORTH AND FEILDING57