The Challenge
There is a growing belief that the prevalence and severity of elder mistreatment within AAPI communities and immigrant populations are higher than previously suspected. A recent study, for example, revealed the two most common forms of abuse faced by Chinese older adults are caregiver neglect and financial exploitation. Asian immigrants seem less likely than other populations to report abuse and receive services, often due to language, cultural, social, and institutional barriers. Despite high vulnerability, AAPI older adults continue to face disparities in seeking and accepting help from mainstream elder abuse systems.
What We Do
NAPCA partners with mainstream aging organizations, contributing cultural expertise to inform the collaborative development of technical assistance for professionals and in-language education for AAPI older adults. To ensure a high degree of cultural fidelity, NAPCA engages our communities throughout these projects. Due to the disparities that AAPI older adults continue to face in accessing help when faced with abuse, NAPCA utilizes multiple approaches, such as leveraging our social media network or public awareness campaigns, to maximize the visibility of the resources being created.
The Impact
With active participation with community partners throughout the development of resources for professionals, NAPCA is elevating the voice of AAPI older adults to ensure that mainstream elder abuse systems have the capacity to engage our communities during the times when we are the most vulnerable. By utilizing innovative approaches, we are maximizing the impact and utility of the resources we create, and ultimately, preventing elder abuse within AAPI communities.
