FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Gita Brown, 401-456-8465, gbrown@ric.edu
Laura Hart, 401-456-8977, lhart@ric.edu
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Rhode Island College’s Gerontology Program, together with the Department of Modern Languages, will hold a conference on “Meeting the Needs of Latino Elderly” on Wednesday, April 23, 9 a.m. to noon, at the Faculty Center at Rhode Island College, 600 Mt. Pleasant Ave. This conference provides information about existing programs that would be useful to Latino elders, their caregivers and professionals working with them. Information on best practices is also presented for service providers.
“Because of language barriers, immigration status and other factors, Latino elders and their families may be uncertain about what assistance is available to them and how to access it,” said Professor of Sociology and Coordinator of RIC’s Gerontology Program Rachel Filinson.
The conference opens with a panel discussion moderated by RIC alumna Delia Rodriguez-Masjoan ’08, producer for the Rhode Island Spanish radio station Poder 110 and former coordinator for the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs’ Center for Diversity.
“The question this panel asks,” said Rodriguez-Masjoan, “is how is information on state health and community assistance getting out to older Latino adults.”
The panel, comprised of Spanish-speaking seniors aged 65 and older, includes a bilingual senior who will translate. They will discuss the social issues they face in Rhode Island and how they have learned to navigate social services.
Following the panel discussion are workshop sessions where participants will explore reasons for the social isolation of Hispanic elders in Rhode Island, how to access state health and community assistance for Latino elders, become familiar with eligibility for long-term care Medicaid and the RIte @ Home Program by Caregivers Home of Rhode Island, and understand the services available for Latino families who have relatives with Alzheimer’s disease.
Participants select from the following workshops:
• “Overview of the United Way 2-1-1 and THE POINT Resources Within Rhode Island,” led by 2-1-1 Bilingual Call Specialist Jennifer Ortega-Perez;
• “Isolation of Hispanic Elders in Rhode Island,” facilitated by Elder Outreach Coordinator of ThirdAge.com Luis Jusino;
• “RIte @ Home Program With Caregiver Homes of Rhode Island,” led by Tanya DeFusco, community liaison for Caregiver Homes of Rhode Island; and
• “Adult Day Care: A Resource for Latino Families Dealing With Alzheimer’s Disease,” led by the Program Director for the Alzheimer’s Association, Rhode Island Chapter, Marge Angilly; Director of the Elmwood Adult Day Health Care Center Joanne O’Day; and social workers Katherine Peralta and Monica Alzate.
To preregister for this conference, visit https://commerce.cashnet.com/RICMNLE. There is a $5 registration fee. Participants may also register at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the conference.
RIC’s gerontology program offers courses on aging through the Departments of Sociology, Psychology and Anthropology; through the Schools of Nursing and Social Work; and through other disciplines at the college. For more information on the gerontology program, contact Professor and Coordinator of Gerontology Rachel Filinson at 401-456-8732.
The Department of Modern Languages offers programs in French, Francophone studies, Italian, Latin American studies, Portuguese and Spanish, as well as courses in Arabic, German, Latin and Japanese. For more information on the Department of Modern Languages, visit www.ric.edu/modernLanguages/.
Established in Providence in 1854, Rhode Island College serves approximately 9,000 graduate and undergraduate students through its five schools: the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development, the School of Social Work, the School of Management and the School of Nursing. For more information, visit www.ric.edu.
