“It’s really painful to see what our elders are going through"
The Asian American community is asking for $450 million from the Biden Administration to help the aging population.
According to the Diverse Elders Coalition, the population of Asian-American and Pacific Islanders is expected to grow 45% in the next 40 years, making them the fastest-growing segment in the US.
However, seniors in the AAPI community are 40% more likely to experience poverty and health issues. AAPI women also have the highest suicide among older Americans.
The lower quality of life is believed to be linked to discrimination and isolaiton.
“It’s really painful to see what our elders are going through,” said Joon Bang, CEO of the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA).
“I think there are a lot of disparities and inequities that have long been misunderstood or generally a sense of apathy regarding some of these challenges.”
Community groups including NAPCA are thus requesting a $450 million investment from the Biden Administration.
Money would go towards infrastructure, research, and aid to those in the AAPI community in preventing isolation.
“You know, if older adults already have language barriers to begin with, they already feel a lack of confidence because of the racism they might be experiencing,” said Bang.
“Language barriers have a direct impact on the quality of life of our older adults. It’s almost the gateway to all access to resources in the country.”
In other news, Andrew Yang‘s wife has taken aim at New York Daily’s cartoon of her husband.