New guide offers advice, resources for serving immigrant older adults

For Immediate Release March 15, 2006
Contact: Sue Carroll 301-578-8868

Silver Spring, Md. —

A new resource guide to help service providers work more effectively with immigrant seniors will be unveiled this week at the 2006 joint conference of the National Conference on the Aging and the American Society on Aging in Anaheim, Calif.

The publication, Engaging Immigrant Seniors in Community Service and Employment Programs: A Guide for Providers, was produced by Senior Service America and the Center for Applied Linguistics in partnership with the Asociacion Nacional Pro Personas Mayores (National Association for Hispanic Elderly), the National Indian Council on Aging, the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, and the National Caucus and Center on Black Aged.

The guide contains advice, activities and resources for service providers to help foreign-born seniors communicate effectively across different languages and cultures in a workplace setting. The book shows how aging and workforce-development agencies can help older foreign-born adults seeking employment, and how agencies can create meaningful opportunities for them to contribute through community service, Anthony R. Sarmiento, president and executive director of Senior Service America, said.

Senior Service America and four partners in the book operate the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), the only federal program assisting low-income older adults—including immigrant seniors—to join or re-enter the workforce.

"By participating in SCSEP, immigrant seniors can overcome isolation and gain marketable job skills through paid community service employment opportunities," Sarmiento said. "SCSEP is creating new roles that embrace these seniors' knowledge of other languages and cultures as a valuable resource, rather than as a barrier to overcome."

Publication of the book comes at a time of accelerated immigration. The 2000 Census estimated the foreign-born population in the United States at about 31 million -- 11 percent of the total population.

Sarmiento acknowledged contributions to the book of the American Society on Aging, particularly those of Gloria Cavanaugh and Carmelita Tursi, now affiliated with AARP. "We hope this guide adds to their longstanding effort to advance a new standard of professionalism in aging, with diversity and cultural competence at its core," he said.

In its 40th year, SCSEP helps about 100,000 economically disadvantaged adults age 55 and over re-enter the labor force each year. Last year participating seniors provided nearly 46 million hours of community service through a wide range of local nonprofit and public agencies, including libraries, museums, schools, and Meals on Wheels.

Request a free copy.

The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) of Senior Service America is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. SCSEP is an equal opportunity program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.