Helping seniors who have difficulty speaking English navigate the barriers to getting health care is the theme of this year’s Ethnic Elders Fair.
The annual event is held to help the growing number of seniors in Snohomish County who don’t speak English regularly or have difficulty with the language.
As measured by people who don’t speak English in their home, the number grew by 58 percent between 1990 and 2000, said Ramonda Sosa, who works for Senior Services of Snohomish County.
The third annual event to assist ethnic seniors will be 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Lynnwood Convention Center. The event drew more than 500 people last year.
There are a lot of barriers for people to overcome who either do not speak English or have trouble with English in getting the health care services they need, said John Peterson, who works for the county’s Human Services Department.
“There’s also cultural barriers,” he said.
The event will have specialists in a number of languages, including Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin, Cantonese and Spanish. A strategy sheet will provide step-by-step tips to help ensure these seniors get the health care they need, Peterson said.
Getting help starts with identifying a family member or friend who can be an interpreter or knows where to get help with interpreter services, Peterson said.
Seniors may also need to check on what public transportation services are available to help them get to their appointments, he said.
Information will be provided on disease prevention, how to live a healthier life and resources that are available to be treated for specific health problems.
Free vision, blood pressure and blood sugar screenings will be provided by Stevens Hospital, Visiting Nurse Services of the Northwest, Providence Everett Medical Center and United for Sight.
Simple health tests, such as blood pressure tests, can help people catch serious diseases. Yet more than half the people who have high blood pressure don’t know it, said Greg Lawson, who works in the cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation unit of Providence Everett Medical Center, which is providing blood pressure checks at the event.
People need to have it checked regularly, he said. “It doesn’t necessarily stay the same,” increasing or decreasing with factors such as stress, lifestyle and aging.
Twenty-four exhibitors will provide information on a range of services to seniors, including home care and medical services, immigrant and cultural groups, and library services.
“The main goal is outreach to a population that may otherwise not get the messages due to language barriers,” Sosa said.
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