By Chuck Chiang, Vancouver Sun |
The province has invested $130,000 into a program aimed at assisting senior citizens of Korean and Iranian descent in Metro Vancouver, officials said this morning.
By Chuck Chiang, Vancouver Sun |
The province has invested $130,000 into a program aimed at assisting senior citizens of Korean and Iranian descent in Metro Vancouver, officials said this morning.
The health ministry made the announcement in the Coquitlam office of local immigrant-services non-profit SUCCESS. The funding, which will also include portions going to SUCCESS’s annual health fair, will provide support for the group’s seniors’ enrichment program, said BC attorney general Suzanne Anton.
“Welcoming new Canadians to B.C. with open arms is part of what defines us as a province,” said Anton in a statement, adding that the funding will help seniors of these two communities to overcome language barriers in transitioning to Canadian society.
The SUCCESS seniors’ enrichment program provides English lessons, as well as workshops on how to use computers and cellphones, to the elderly living in the Lower Mainland who speaks Korean or Farsi. Canadian lifestyle orientation is also part of the program.
The health fair, meanwhile, is held annually by SUCCESS and provides informational exhibits on things like blood pressure and glaucoma to residents in English, Cantonese and Mandarin. This year’s version took place in September, drawing more than 1,000 people, officials said.