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O
otgirl1601 Asked September 2021

My neighbor needs help finding assisted living facility for a w/c bound spouse. Neighbor and husband are both not native to America. Ideas?

GardenArtist Sep 2021
Skimmed through some of the hits:  this is a thread with some good conversations about language barriers:

https://www.agingcare.com/questions/language-barrier-at-moms-nursing-home-172942.htm

GardenArtist Sep 2021
I would also reach out to any local organizations of the same ethnic background, not only for assistance in translation but to determine if there are ALs that might have others of similar background.  

I recall one patient in rehab when my mother was; he spoke no English, couldn't communicate with the staff, and it was quite sad.   OTOH, another was an American but primarily spoke another language.  Fortunately, others of her ethnicity were residents also, and helped with translation.

ETA:  try this for some suggestions:

https://www.agingcare.com/search?term=non+native+speakers

Also, there may be someone who teaches ESL classes, not necessarily as an employee but as a traveling consulantt for hire at various ALs.   Local communities in my area often have ESL classes.   Perhaps someone in an ethnic area similar to your neighbors might teach ESL and/or help out or provide limited translations.
Someone asked a similar question sometime ago; I believe her relatives were Chinese.  With a little research, it was determined there are such facilities in her area, and they did focus on folks with that ethnic background.  If I can find the thread, I'll post it.

But first I would search online for facilities in the immediate and a bit farther out area with resources for someone of their ethnicity.  Then I'd search for cultural organizations with similar qualifications.  

Do these folks have the funds for AL?   If they don't, that could be a significant issue.

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Midkid58 Sep 2021
How kind of you! And having said that, let me add--tread lightly and be cautious about your involvement in this. I've been involved in so many 'good Samaritan' cases that turned on me and burned me up I have become a little jaded--still--follow your heart.

Where are they from? Do they speak and understand English well enough to follow the advice they will be given?

Other than that, I don't know where you'd go for advice. Are they citizens of the US? You can start with a call to Aging Services and go from there.
JoAnn29 Sep 2021
I am with you there. I helped my disabled GFs mother, it then became my GF, then her challenged daughter. In one month, 3x a week we were driving someone somewhere. I asked they coordinate their appts because the mother and GF were going to the same complex or different days. It became overwhelming. I got out of it because I started babysitting my infant grandson. My motto now, Do Not Volunteer. Seems when you volunteer u can be better taken advantage of. If asked, you can always say "sorry not this time".

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