Symposium of the UC San Diego Center for Healthy Aging, talks about wisdom and aging, well-being, and longevity. Furthermore, the presenters also talked about societal implications of wisdom and compassion: health, education and technology. Presenting our capstone project for healthy aging. We presented our neighborhood assessment to many guests at the symposium. The audience was interested in learning more about affordable housing apartments at Barrio Logan. They wanted to know more about the specifics in how affordable are those apartments, the cap rate, and what costs are considered affordable housing. We mentioned that according to some locals in the Barrio Logan area prices can range from 800 dollars and also that these apartment complexes have many people who are waitlisted for several years. This goes back to the beginning of the year on LCS tour of affordable housing options for seniors in San Diego. When we went to Serving Seniors we met with residents and toured several housing units to learn more about the different affordable housing models. By visiting several in the downtown areas and throughout several San Diego neighborhoods. We were able to able to see how housing was developed and how much occupants in those apartments will pay monthly. Many of the affordable options can range from $533 to $ 800 dollars a month. In addition, these apartments are designed for people who come from low-income and earning less of the area median income below estimated below $50,000. These apartments have housing options that offer solutions in addressing the homelessness and the elder population. Next, we spoke with individuals who have visited Barrio Logan before. They also went to went to reach out to the senior center. During their experience they had difficulty contacting the center and mentioned that it was closed when they last visited. According to the Census Bureau, the elder population was less than 10 percent. The area is heavily an industrial zone with many mechanic shops. We emphasized how there is a growing need to implement resources available for seniors in the neighborhood. We concluded that the city should look into funding the senior center to expand its operating hours and have it open to the public. Since the center is located near the freeway and near a busy street. The location is right next to a bus stop, benches, and close proximity to commercial areas. Perhaps it’s an opportunity to expand the senior center open to locals and community members.
This weeks topic is Health and Mortality, Inequalities: Gender, Race, and Class. One of the readings was Dona Tona of Nineteenth Street is a short story about a curandera who uses magic, herbs, and massage to treat someone is ill. The townspeople would make assumptions that she’s an actual “witch” or “Crazy Old Witch” with the ability to cure people with her natural remedies and prayers. While the townspeople viewed Doctor Herida as a the first choice to seek for medical help. People choose to go to the reputable doctor first rather than seeing Dona Tona, because they believe that Dr. Herida offered professional medical assistance.
However, there were cases when Dr. Herida prescription didn’t worked many people instead searched for Dona Tona assistance. The people who do end up seeking help from her have seen results in their recovery than the Dr’s prescriptions. The question is that why do people still view Dona Tona as the last resort and continue to go to the Dr. Regardless of what people said about her, Dona Tona continue to travel to far parts of the barrio to get where she is needed to help people in need. This is considered inequality consider differences with gender. Dona wasn’t taken seriously only when someone is gravely sick or the doc’s prescriptions didn’t cure the patient. Dona Tona deserves the source of recognition and credit just as well as Dr. Herida. Even though people continue to seek for Doctor Heridas medical advice, in the end they still went to see Dona Tona. With her expertise patients were able to see signs of improvements to their health. Acknowledging the differences of the treatment of between both genders and see how Dona Tona is treated, while Dr. Herida was seen as more reputable and respectful. By seeing both differences show the source of inequality. Both are valid enough to seek for help. It’s the people choice to believe what they feel it’s the truth to them. As long as people are able to recognize people’s efforts like Dona Tona and consider her to be a valid resource as much as the doctor. Seniors were elated and took on the challenge of the step by step painting instruction.The painting instructor Kelly was approachable, friendly, and supportive that anyone can paint the canvas. Promoted a positive attitude and encouraged seniors that anyone can be a painter. Seniors felt appreciative, respected, inclusive, and grateful for the given opportunity to partake in a hands on step by step painting instruction...Read more on our Healthy Aging Project page!
Today LCS took a trip to the LGBTQ Center located in one of San Diego’s most diverse neighborhoods Hillcrest. During the 1970’s Hillcrest’s LGBTQ community and locals unified through neighborhood organizations that advocated for inclusitivity, diversity, LGBTQ rights, and public engagement. The Center represents one of active organizations who advocated for resources in their community. It provides direct program services to the LGBT community, including men, women, youth, seniors, families, LGBT Latino community members and their families, and those living with HIV. The center provide communal services, government resources, auditorium, computer lab, lounge area, open community space, volunteer services, cross cultural services, and educational programs.
One of the long term volunteers in the center Nick grew up with his parents and grandparents in the same household. His memories of his grandparents were storytelling about their historical life events. Nick was able to value history through his grandparents storytelling. He believed that by living with his grandparents was an enrichment to his childhood along with his siblings. He was curious about how often the current younger generation communicate with their grandparents. This was an interesting question, even though not many people have the opportunity to live with their grandparents or don’t know much about them. It’s never too late to learn more about from your family members, and a great opportunity to start now. Nick also emphasized the importance of developing a relationship with grandparents and people should continue to stay in touch with family. This sheds light to the reading how family relationships are adaptive resources for people to grow, develop, and cope from life events. For example, black families provide support combating racism, individual level discrimination, and negative imagery. People who face this social challenges and seek help from their family members will be able to overcome obstacles and stand up for themselves. Through this example represents how family can help through challenging life moments. On the other hand, I wonder that there are parents in the world who have difficulty accepting their child’s identity. How would people with less accepting families cope with life challenging events. There have been cases where families are less accepting. In the center the community members have a place where they can call home and connect with other individuals. Even Though, many people are not related, however, they are able to form friendships through their hardships. Next, the class participated in a collaborative activity WHO’s 8 key framework of health and well-being in age-friendly communities. During the discussion, a community leader senior expressed his concerns about the new bike program. He also expressed distress and fear from skateboarders or bikers that quickly pass by seniors. The community member emphasized how seniors with vision and hearing disabilities don’t feel safe and feel afraid of fast passerbys skating past them. He addressed the audience that there is a growing need to educate the public to understand seniors needs. The goal is to create safer walkable sidewalks and for individuals who utilize bike transport services to be considerate of the people with disabilities. This brings to attention to address safety concerns for seniors. Busy roads can cause difficulty for individuals who use wheelchairs, strollers, and walkers. Seniors need to be acknowledged and have empathy for the challenges they face in the daily basis. We gave a suggestion in hope that the city will look into implementing strategic methods for traffic control in busy type roads and more visible signs for crosswalks. Even though the bike share is open to the city market and have implemented convenience for people to travel around the neighborhood. However, there have been too many bike shares that block passageways in sidewalks , consequently can be a potential hazard for human traffic. By listening from seniors from the LGBTQ center we acknowledged that seniors feel need more visibility. The acknowledgement that skaters or fast passersby need to keep in mind for the safety of the pedestrians especially seniors who are walking around the area. Overall, the trip to the LGBTQ center was an informative and educational learning experience. Also, is important to pay attention people near you and be kind to them. There will be people who have multiple layers of challenges that we may not know. It’s important to keep in mind and reflect on how not everyone will be able to solve everyone’s problems. Particularly individuals who have a troubled history need care and support. By engaging with seniors and understand more about their expressed concerns of the issues they are currently facing. Helps people gain more information in how we can combat those issues, through an intergenerational activity that gathers people of all ages together and come up with creative solutions. Through this group activity offers constructive feedback in what parts of the community needs improvement and how we can educate the public about senior visibility and inclusiveness. Guest lecture professor Sue Peerson gave a detailed presentation about how to create a poster board for our upcoming healthy aging project. She Talked about formatting, strategically displaying info using graphics and percentages in how much information should be displayed. The professor also emphasizes how the formatting of the poster is important in how you as the author convey your message to your audience. Not only, will the poster will represent the narrative of the project, but also knowing the audience that will be attending the event. In this case, the Health Project event will be open to community members, seniors, UCSD staff, Faculty, and Students. It is necessary that your poster is legible and can be understood by the general public. Key thing is to keep in mind is to never underestimate the audience relationship. It is important to establish a clear and concise main argument. Overall, this presentation was informative and helpful in how to create an informative poster that can communicate and establish connections between your content and how you convey your message to your audience.
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Elizabeth gomezArchives
June 2018
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