|
Innovative
Programming For Our Elderly Residents
Initially
conceptualized in the spring of 2000, Bridging the
Gaps: Making the Bilingual Community More Accessible to
Holyoke's Elderly Residents is a project that is a
direct result of Holyoke Housing Authority residents
telling the Authority what services they needed. Residents
identified a lack of accessible and convenient
transportation and language barriers when communicating
with service providers as two of the top concerns they
would like addressed.
While
transportation is currently available to medical
appointments, many elderly residents encounter long waits
before and after their apartments. This problem is
compounded when they must visit a pharmacy on their return
trip home. In many cases, relying on public transportation
could result in a simple doctor's appointment becoming a
day long excursion. Recent budget cuts to Pioneer Valley
Transit Authority funding have resulted in a reduction of
services to those who need them the most. The value of the
Bridging the Gaps program is even more evident in
these current tight fiscal times.
Many
Holyoke Housing Authority residents also encounter a
language barrier when attempting to communicate with their
non-Spanish speaking doctors. Approximately sixty percent
of HHA's elderly population speaks little, if any,
English. HHA proposes to continuing filling these gaps by
providing transportation to medical appointments as well a
translation services while there to enhance communication
between patients and their doctors.
This
program has receive both statewide and national
recognition from the National Association of Housing and
Redevelopment Authorities for its innovative approach to
addressing the needs of low-income elderly residents. If
FY 2004, 64 residents received 714 units of
service under this grant. During the programs fifth year,
in 2005, 42 residents received 395 units of
service.
|
