We envision a society in which all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders age with dignity and well-being

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Our Core Values

Teamwork and Collaboration

A commitment to common goals based on open and honest communication while showing concern, support, and encouragement for one another. This includes working together to resolve conflict and lend a hand to whomever or wherever help is needed.

Advocacy

Identifying, fully considering, and appropriately advancing NAPCA’s mission to preserve and promote the dignity, well-being, and quality of life of AAPIs and other diverse populations as they age.

Diversity

Commitment to building an environment comprised of a variety of different cultures, backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, values, and beliefs. NAPCA celebrates this diversity to foster creativity and innovation, and maximize individual potential.

Empowerment

Supports a culture and environment of enabling individual development and independence through the advancement of skills, authority, opportunity, and motivation.

Commitment to Excellence

Striving for the highest quality in the delivery of our programs, services, and products. This means being accountable for our actions, delivering on commitments, thinking creatively, and improving continuously.

Embracing Employee Culture…

…showcasing that we enjoy working hard and playing hard!

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Our History

With over 40 years of working on behalf of AAPI older adults, NAPCA is more committed than ever to promoting their dignity, well-being, and quality of life.

What motivates us? Respect. Honor. Love.

We want to ensure that AAPI elders have the programs and services they need wherever they live in the U.S. That’s why we’re building the capacity of mainstream service providers to be culturally competent and linguistically appropriate. And that’s why we’re adamant that the input of our older adults are taken into account in all decisions that affect them.

There are over 50 AAPI ethnicities that speak over 100 languages. As diverse as we are as AAPIs, the common thread that ties us together is our families. Our parents, and grandparents before them, have instilled the value of family above all things, and that’s what makes our AAPI elders so special.

Over the generations, AAPI families who have immigrated to the U.S. have given us gifts from their host cultures, including language, cuisines, arts, religion, talents, customs, music, and courtesies. As a result, our lives are richer because of the elders who have come before us.

Our Timeline

1976 – Research grant from the Administration on Aging

The grant funded creation of the National Pacific/Asian Elderly Research Project (NP/AERP). The Project, based in Los Angeles, engaged in research to help in the development of new “service delivery models” for AAPI elderly, gathering empirical data in Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

1979 - NAPCA is started

The Pacific Asian Coalition, a national AAPI advocacy group, sponsored a proposal to the Administration on Aging to create a permanent national resource center as a successor to NP/AERP. The Administration provided funding for a “Pacific/Asian Elderly Resource Center Development Project” in Chicago, New York, Honolulu, and San Francisco to bridge the gap between AAPI elderly and the services to which they were entitled. On November 1, 1979, NAPCA was born.

1989 - NAPCA adds direct training and employment services for AAPI seniors

Nothing did more to boost the visibility and impact of NAPCA than its establishment as a provider of direct training and employment services for AAPI seniors. In July of 1989, NAPCA started to administer Title V of the Older Americans Act, also known as the Senior Community Services Employment Program (SCSEP). NAPCA SCSEP targets limited- and non-English speaking seniors 55 and older, helping them get on-the-job training in nonprofit organizations and government agencies and find permanent jobs.

2004 - NAPCA creates a National Multilingual Helpline

NAPCA created a National Multilingual Helpline where limited-English-speaking seniors can call to get help about Medicare, low-income subsidies, and other federal benefits. The multilingual Helpline is staffed by counselors fluent in Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin and Cantonese.

2016 – New strategic direction

In November of 2016, the Board of Directors ratified new strategic goals around national leadership, advocacy, expertise, accurate information and data, and strengthening the organization.

2017 - Helpline temporarily discontinued

2019 - CARE Registry launched to address health and medical disparities for AAPI

NAPCA partners with the University of California San Francisco to develop the nation's first AAPI medical research registry.

2020 - Multi-language HELPLINE relaunched to support elders during the pandemic

In response to COVID-19, NAPCA relaunches improved version of its nationwide multilingual Helpline to provide emergency support for AAPI older adults.

Our Achievements

Chronic Disease Self-Management

Implemented the Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program in AAPI older adult communities.

Brain Health Messaging Project
Tested culturally appropriate messages to improve early identification of dementia by engaging adult children and their families.
Preventing Medicare Fraud

Disseminated information about Medicare fraud and assisted AAPI elders in resolving billing errors.

Community Based Capacity Building Initiative
Developed community action plans for the unique social and health service needs of AAPI elders.
Medicare Part D Enrollment Assistance

Assisted AAPI elders with reviewing prescription drug plans and enrolling them in new plans during the Medicare Part D Open Enrollment period.

"Healthy Eating, Healthy Aging" Nutrition Intervention
Promoted heart health through nutrition education in a culturally competent and linguistically appropriate manner among AAPI older adults.
“Ask NAPCA” Columns
Addressed AAPI elders’ benefits eligibility issues in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese language newspapers across the United States.
Dual Eligible Video Project
Promoted Medicare savings programs for low-income AAPI elders, focusing on immigrant applicants.
“

I liked the phone calls because it made me gain interest and keep track of monitoring my blood pressure.

H.L.CCC Participant
“

I'm thankful for the health educational resources you have provided. I have learned
how to maintain more balanced diets and the amount of sodium to consume. We wish
you can come back with more topics on other health like how to improve cognition and
health prevention etc.

A.T.Healthy Eating, Healthy Aging Participant
“

I called the Helpline to help me enroll in a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan. After reviewing my current plan and medications, which cost over $7,450 per year, NAPCA staff helped me enroll in a new Part D plan that would cost $1,200 per year, saving me $6,250.

W.K.Multilingual Helpline Caller
“

This class has taught me a lot about my chronic disease, diabetes, and not being healthy. This class has changed my way of eating and now I eat healthy foods, such as salads and vegetables, and I have reduced cooking in oil. I want to be healthy and not have diabetes. After taking this class, I am more confident and making the right choices.

N.C.CDSMP Participant

Board of Directors

NAPCA Board