Seventy-eight-year-old Shi lives in the heart of the Downtown Eastside in a low-rent housing facility for seniors. The former engineer from China loves her neighbhourhood, but struggles to access the resources she needs because she speaks only Mandarin. “I’m most afraid of going to doctor’s appointments by myself,” Shi says.

Thanks to your generous donations and the United Way-funded Atira’s Youth for Chinese Seniors Project and volunteer, Mary who also speaks Mandarin, Shi no longer has to be afraid. The intergenerational outreach project works to connect linguistically and socially isolated Chinese seniors like Shi living in the neighbourhood with the services they need.

“The population is quite hidden…and they are often left unheard,” says Chanel Ly, Project manager. Many of these seniors live in aging Single Room Occupancy (SRO) hotels and Clan Association buildings.

“I do things like accompany the seniors to a doctor’s appointment or a surgery. Or, I go over and have tea with them and help them fill out forms, things like that,” Mary says. She recently accompanied Shi to the hospital for cataract surgery and took her home.

“After I met them I feel there’s nothing more to worry about. They’re right in the community, just across the street, so if I ever need anything help is accessible,” Shi says.

About 20 seniors like Shi gather for weekly meetings that have been running since the fall of 2015. Along with getting the help they need, they can voice their concerns about life in their neighbourhood.

“One of the top two issues is safety on the streets. The second is language access to services– specifically health care,” says Chanel. “Because of the safety issue, we’re sensing there are huge barriers between cultural communities due to this neighbourhood [being] low income and everyone is competing for resources.”

The Youth for Chinese Seniors Project is working to change that.

“Because I can speak different languages, I can connect different people,” says Mary, who speaks Mandarin. “As someone who is able to create that bridge, it’s really gratifying for me to be here in this capacity and make those connections.”

Help seniors like Shi

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