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A community needs assessment among Asian American elders
1Columbia University School of Social Work, New York, NY 10025, USA. acm5@columbia.edu
Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology
|November 18, 2003
Summary
Asian American seniors, often older women receiving SSI, need more clinical and emergency services. Current programs focus on tangible aid, highlighting gaps in care for this growing demographic.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Social Work
- Public Health
Background:
- The Asian American elderly population is rapidly growing.
- There is limited understanding of their social service needs.
- Existing service provision levels for this demographic are largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the social service needs of Asian American elders.
- To assess the current level of services provided to them.
- To identify gaps in service provision within urban settings.
Main Methods:
- Survey methodology was employed.
- All Asian American senior programs (N=20) in a major metropolitan region were examined.
- Agencies were the unit of analysis with a 90% response rate.
Main Results:
- Asian elderly clients were predominantly women and 'old-old' (very elderly).
- Many clients were recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
- Services offered were mainly tangible and facilitative, not clinical.
Conclusions:
- Significant unmet needs exist for emergency psychiatric care, home attendants, home-delivered meals, legal, medical, and protective services.
- Findings underscore the need for expanded and specialized services.
- The study provides crucial data for future research and program development for urban Asian American elders.