In this episode, Kristie King speaks with Peggy Du, Executive Director of the Association of Chinese Americans (ACA), about their bilingual caregiver training program and the importance of celebrating seniors like Chew Ham. The discussion covers the challenges faced by bilingual caregivers, ACA's innovative solutions, and the impact of their community initiatives.
Welcome to Caregiver Conversations! In this enlightening Episode #23, we dive deep into how bilingual caregiver training is revolutionizing support for caregivers and celebrating the remarkable contributions of seniors in our community.
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Thank you for tuning in to another episode where we celebrate the strength of our seniors and empower caregivers everywhere. Stay tuned, stay empowered, and keep caring!
Kristie: [00:00:00] Welcome to Caregiver Conversations, the podcast where we empower caregivers with essential insights and support. I'm Kristie King, your guide on this journey. Each episode, we dive into critical topics like elder abuse prevention, life planning, resource sharing, and more, equipping you with the tools you need to thrive in your caregiving role and beyond.
Join us as we explore the challenges and triumphs of caregiving together. Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of Caregiver Conversations, the podcast dedicated to empowering caregivers worldwide. I'm your host, Kristie King, Executive Director of the Southeast Michigan Senior Regional Collaborative.
Today we have a special guest who brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in supporting caregivers and celebrating the incredible contributions of seniors in our community. Joining us today is Peggy Duke, the Executive Director and County Manager of the Association of Chinese Americans. Peggy was appointed by [00:01:00] Governor Whitmer as a commissioner for the Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission. We're thrilled to have her with us to discuss the important work being done to support caregivers, particularly through bilingual training, and to highlight the inspiring I Am Senior Strong Award presented by the Senior Regional Collaborative to one of our special volunteers. Welcome to the show, Peggy. I'm so excited to have this time with you today.
Peggy: Hi everyone. Thank you, Kristie, for your warm welcome. It’s my pleasure to be here with you to share some amazing work that the Association of Chinese Americans has done in the community and in partnership with SRC for the caregiver training.
Kristie: Yes, it's gonna be a great conversation today. So Peggy, just start by telling us a little bit about the Association of Chinese Americans and your role as Executive Director.
Peggy: Sure. I’m so proud of our organization. ACA is a nonprofit founded in [00:02:00] 1972 in Detroit. For the past 52 years, we’ve been serving the community by advocating for the social, political, educational, and economic wellbeing of everyone, with a focus on the APA community. I serve as the Executive Director, overseeing the operations of our three service centers in Kenton, Madison Heights, and Detroit. We have daily operations from Monday through Friday, and we also have special programs and events throughout the year.
Kristie: Great. So what inspired you to get more involved with ACA?
Peggy: ACA has always been called a home away from home for many Chinese Americans and Asian Americans. When I first arrived in the United States and got to know ACA, it helped students, younger generations, seniors, and middle-aged groups through education and health initiatives. I think it’s a really cool organization where I can contribute to a better tomorrow for ACA.
Kristie: So it’s really like family for you, a family away from home.
Peggy: Yes, absolutely.
Kristie: Let’s talk a little bit about some of the initiatives at ACA. One of the key initiatives you’ve been involved with is bilingual caregiver training. Could you share more about this program, its goals, and who it aims to serve?
Peggy: Right, this bilingual caregiver training program started last year based on the needs of our community. We serve many immigrants and individuals with language or cultural barriers, so it’s hard to find caregivers or direct care workers who speak the language or understand the needs. We believe it’s crucial to connect our community to available resources like caregiver training, equipping them with the skills to find jobs as direct care workers or to take care of their family members. That’s why we started this project.
Kristie: That’s great news about the support you’re providing to caregivers. Can you talk about some of the other challenges faced by caregivers in bilingual or multicultural families and how your program addresses them?
Peggy: Right, it’s all about people-centered care. We need to understand the special needs of caregivers and care recipients to help them effectively. Language is a significant barrier, but so are cultural differences in caregiving preferences. Our program aims to foster mutual understanding between caregivers and care recipients, providing support and necessary skills for family caregivers who often face the same challenges as professional caregivers.
Kristie: Definitely, culture plays a big role in caregiving. Is your caregiver training standardized or something developed by ACA?
Peggy: It’s a creative curriculum we’re developing because we didn’t find a perfect fit in existing resources. Our training manual combines skills for disabilities, dementia, home safety, and understanding regulations to avoid abuse. We also include ESL terms for medical assistance to help caregivers with medicine management and communication. We’re creating a manual that meets our specific needs.
Kristie: That’s amazing. Are you partnering with other organizations to create this manual and provide these services?
Peggy: Yes, we’re partnering with Michigan State University School of Social Work. Their expertise is invaluable in helping us review the manual and ensure its effectiveness.
Kristie: Can’t wait to hear about it when it’s further along. Will there be a charge for caregivers to use your training program?
Peggy: No, it’s currently free, thanks to grant support from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. We aim to make it accessible and sustainable beyond this year. The manual will be available in both Chinese and English, and we plan to translate it into other languages to benefit a broader community.
Kristie: That’s wonderful. Can you share some success stories about your caregiving work so far?
Peggy: We’re still developing the curriculum, so we haven’t tested it yet, but we’re excited to start recruiting students once it’s done.
Kristie: What are your goals for recruiting caregivers once the curriculum is completed?
Peggy: We plan to deliver the first classes in Mandarin and Cantonese, with 20 to 25 students in each class. We hope to get feedback from these students to improve the manual and make it practical for everyone.
Kristie: That’s huge! How long is the training program?
Peggy: The duration hasn’t been finalized yet. We want to make it a reasonable period, offering valuable information without overwhelming participants.
Kristie: Absolutely. Let’s shift to discuss the I Am Senior Strong Award. You nominated one of your special volunteers last year. How does this award resonate with ACA’s mission?
Peggy: This award is wonderful. It’s important to recognize seniors’ contributions. In China, there’s a saying that an older adult in the house is a treasure for the family. Our seniors, like Mr. Ham, inspire us with their leadership and dedication.
Kristie: We awarded Mr. Ham in 2023 for his work in ACA’s Community Garden. Tell us more about him and why you nominated him.
Peggy: Mr. Ham has been involved with ACA’s garden for nearly 10 years, contributing over 600 hours annually. He grows special Asian vegetables and shares them with low-income seniors. His passion and volunteerism inspire our community.
Kristie: Gardening is hard work! Does the community garden benefit beyond providing vegetables?
Peggy: We hope to expand our garden and kitchen to offer health seminars and cooking classes. We also host events like cooking contests, using vegetables from the garden to create healthy dishes.
Kristie: That sounds fun and impactful. What other activities does ACA offer for seniors?
Peggy: We offer a variety of programs, including ESL classes, caregiver training, CPR training, dancing, and choir. Our seniors enjoy learning and participating in cultural performances. If you need a cultural performance at your event, feel free to reach out to ACA.
Kristie: ACA has been a great partner in providing bilingual services for us. Where can people find more information about ACA?
Peggy: Follow us on social media at @DetroitACA or visit our website at acadetroit.org. Sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on events and information.
Kristie: We’ll continue to connect people to ACA through SRC’s platforms. As we wrap up, what message would you like to leave with our caregivers and listeners?
Peggy: Caregivers, you’re not alone. Come to ACA or SRC for support and training. Take care of yourself to take care of your loved ones. Maintain your mental health and seek resources to help you.
Kristie: Absolutely. Thank you, Peggy, for joining us today and sharing your insights. It’s been a pleasure having you on the show, and we look forward to continuing our work together.
Peggy: Thank you, Kristie. Thank you for having us. Thank you, SRC.
Kristie: And to our listeners, thank you for joining us on Caregiver Conversations, where we celebrate being senior strong and bring families together. Until next time, stay empowered and keep caring.