For older adults, it can be a challenge just to get from home to the store or a doctor’s appointment. Add in a language barrier and the challenges increase exponentially. Layer on an end-stage illness or debilitating physical limitation and the obstacles feel insurmountable.
For many of the oldest members of the Japanese communities in Southern California, this has been a daily struggle because of a gap in medical and support services that meet their unique needs.
Keiro and Providence Health & Services Southern California (Providence) on Aug. 16 announced a partnership to bring palliative care services to Japanese American and Japanese-speaking older adults who are living with advanced illness and debilitating symptoms through the end of life. The collaboration leverages Providence’s nationally renowned leadership in palliative medicine and Keiro’s deep experience and history in providing health and support services to older adults in the community.