By Priscilla Greear

Staff Writer

ATLANTA--With a grant from the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services, the Multicultural Services Program of Catholic Social Services (CSS) will expand its outreach to refugees age 60 and older through collaboration with mainstream elderly service providers. The agency's project to aid elderly refugees will be led by Kitty Kelley, MA. CSS hopes to have the one-year $150,000 grant renewed for three years, and plans to continue offering elderly services after its termination. Prior to receiving this grant, the program was unable to fully serve this population.

"I think the primary focus will be to link elderly refugees with existing services. There have been so many barriers which range from culture to transportation. What we're going to do is to find out what direct services elderly (refugees) need that aren't already being provided...I have to go out and talk with people. We can't stay in our offices and decide what people need," said Kelley.

She said that program volunteers will also provide the refugees with socialization opportunities by taking them on outings such as shopping and to music festivals and park concerts. In addition, volunteers will help the refugees apply for citizenship. Muslim refugees who lack transportation will be taken to mosque on Fridays. Direct casework will be offered to those with special concerns needing more attention.

"Elderly refugees are essentially unemployable...The jobs that are given to non-English-speaking refugees are usually physical jobs," Kelley said. "The elderly have less reason (to learn English). They don't have to learn it. It's difficult, and one must be really motivated to learn another language. They don't mingle or interact much with English-speaking people. They are very alone, at risk for health problems, and certainly not learning about or getting the services that they need."

The Multicultural Services Program of CSS, the oldest refugee resettlement agency in Georgia, serves approximately 1,000 refugees each year, 10 percent of whom are over 60. They are admitted to the United States to escape war and various forms of persecution in their native countries.

Bui Van Tam, director of the Multicultural Services Program, said the program will focus on determining the specific problems and needs of elderly refugees adapting to America. These older people often face increased isolation and consequent depression due to difficulties in learning English and in general cultural adaptation.

An afternoon reception to launch the project was held on April 18 at the Rex Club on Buford Highway Approximately 300 CSS refugee clients, representatives of collaborating agencies and CSS staff attended.

"This reception celebrates the beginning of a new program to help senior refugees find better lives in America. The project will provide information and services to senior refugee clients, train service providers to better serve their needs and create new social activities which bring senior refugees together for fun and relaxation," said Tam in the crowded Rex Club.

He then thanked representatives of collaborating agencies, including the Georgia Mutual Assistance Association, Good Shepherd Services and Our Lady of Vietnam Church, Riverdale. Other participating organizations include Wesley Woods, Inc., Senior Connections, the Georgia Department of Human Resources and the Vietnamese Senior People's Association.

After representatives of the collaborating organizations spoke brief and affirming words on the project, Tam explained various governmental restrictions on welfare benefits to refugees. He said that those who arrived in the U.S. after August, 1996, and who receive supplemental security income may continue to receive it throughout their lives; however, those who arrived after that date may only receive the benefit for seven years. Those who are not U.S. citizens may not receive food stamps or checks from the Georgia Department of Family and Children's Services after June of this year.

The director then presented certificates of appreciation to contributors to the reception.

Margaret Lesesne, vice president of the SOURCE program through which Wesley Woods and nine other agencies provide senior services, said that SOURCE will work in partnership with the CSS project to better serve the elderly. She said the program has served those of other cultures in the past, and that "the biggest challenge is the language barrier. Volunteers must move past that to understand various individual cultures, how they understand the care of their elders and what that means in providing the best care for their situation."

"We're (SOURCE) trying to supply the body and the services, and they (CSS) supply the cultural understanding and the bridge to the community," she said. "We're going to work very closely with Mr. Tam and his staff... to really understand cultural sensitivity. I think our greatest challenge will be (serving) the broad range of cultures in Atlanta."

Tai Nguyen, a Vietnamese refugee who works at Good Shepherd Outreach Services where he visits newly arrived Vietnamese refugee families, drove 20 refugees to the reception.

"When they come here for the first time they have no means of transportation," he said. "That's the main problem for them. When they are sick and have to go to the hospital, they have to be willing and able to ask somebody to help them."

Elderly refugees have weaker memories and have more difficulty passing a required test to receive certain government benefits, he added.

Pete Sweeney, assistant director of Multi-Cultural Services, said the resettlement agency needs to advocate more for elderly refugees. "Elderly refugees need special attention and haven't gotten any thus far. The funding and the services haven't been sufficient. We're working with mainstream service providers now, and that's one thing we're really excited about," he said.

Sweeney said that refugees are generally older than other groups because as young people they were often involved in wars. Many who escaped first had to spend five to ten years in political prisons before they were able to immigrate to the U.S.

Reception attendees enjoyed foods from Vietnam including fried rice and noodles, cole slaw with pork and egg rolls. Music was provided by the Vietnamese "Tiung Cang" and the Hispanic "Tradición Latina." A Vietnamese sign read "Respect Your Elderly and You Will Live Healthy and Longer."