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Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society, 8157 Main Street, Vancouver, BC, V5X 3L2 www.pics.bc.ca   sonia.zafar@pics.bc.ca   778-371-8552

PICS SENIORS PROGRAMS NEWSLETTER

Imagine you are 55 or older and you have just moved to a foreign country. Your spouse has passed away, your children are independent and live with their own families, and you have no close friends who live near you. Imagine the emptiness and loneliness you may feel from knowing no one and feeling cut off from your surroundings. Pretty soon, you may lapse into depression and you may even stop caring about things that used to once interest you. Nothing is worse than that feeling of total aloneness. While you may be trying to picture feeling all this, there are many seniors in this very city who feel this on a daily basis. Social isolation is a huge problem among seniors in Canada and is the leading cause of depression and other ailments. Not only are we sympathetic to their problems, we strive to eradicate and replace these feelings with happiness, self-worth, and long lasting friendships. We have initiated the PICS Vancouver Seniors Programs to help

About PICS Vancouver Seniors Programs

Inside This Issue

About Seniors Programs 1 President’s Message 1 Settlement Director’s Message 2Clubs & Activities 2-3Testimonials 3Events & Celebrations 4-5Presentations 5Gallery 6

August 2012

Issue 1

Art i c l es Ed i to r : Kaavya

Lakshmanan

Ed i tor - In -Ch ie f : Son ia

Chaudhary

President’s Message

To meet the increasing needs of ageing South Asian seniors, PICS has put together affordable housing programs. Most of these seniors worked in the janitorial services or did farm work, but didn’t have enough savings or pension to live a decent life in a rental accommodation. Some of them were living in their own cars or eating at the Sikh Temples to save some money. Most of them did not wish to go to the food banks because of the shame or stigma culturally attached. We found through a survey that many families weren’t able to look after ageing parents because of mortgage payments etc. Those seniors were left in a very undesirable situation and felt very isolated at home. Therefore, PICS decided to put together an Assisted Living Project in 2007. PICS is committed to the needs of the seniors and strives to ensure that they live their lives with confidence.

The next project in the making is a Long Term Care Home which we are working hard on and hope to get by 2013. If our project is accomplished, then by 2015 we will have another facility for Long Term Care. If the government agrees to go through with this project they will save lots of money because most of these seniors are taking places in extended hospital beds, thus putting pressure on the hospitals that cannot accommodate the new patients. It’ll be good for the community and government to approve this so that we can serve the community and in the meantime save lots of money for taxpayers.

PICS’s mandate is to give seniors respect, integrity, and education. Many seniors who came to Canada have never learned computers or related technology.

Finally we have collaborated with the Khalsa Diwan Society of Vancouver to have a larger space in order to accommodate those seniors’ learning needs. We are setting a computer lab whereby in one day at least 12 people can learn lessons and can be given some service by bilingual workers who can help them understand the content in their own languages. We are also very pleased with the Khalsa Diwan Society of Vancouver for giving us a place free of charge, since at this time PICS society doesn’t have any funding from any resources, and we are thus fully dependent on our volunteers. The classes are currently being taught in at least 5 different Asian languages including Cantonese and Mandarin. All the effort by the staff (Sonia, Project Developer for Seniors Programs in Vancouver, and Sukhwinder, Settlement Coordinator for Vancouver office) who pioneered

seniors connect with others in their community. From Computer and English Conversation Classes to events and celebrations, our goal is to honor and provide for our seniors. With a group of hardworking staff and volunteers, we strive to make a positive impact on the lives of the elderly and see to it that they become independent and confident members of society.

Clubs & Activities

Today’s world revolves around and depends on technology. No one knows this better than children. And no one is more confused by this than their grandparents. There is a common misnomer among seniors and the younger population alike that computer skills are solely for the use of young people. They couldn’t be more wrong! PICS’s message is simple: anyone at any age can learn how to use a computer. We hold classes for seniors 55 and older every Wednesday and Friday. We have over 50 currently registered seniors and even more waitlisted! Our classes are taught by volunteers who follow a curriculum devised especially for seniors. We start out by teaching basic computer skills (how to turn on the computer, use the mouse, etc) and then teach internet searching skills. We also help our seniors set up email, Facebook, and Skype accounts. So far we’ve had nothing but positive response from

Page 2 PICS Seniors Programs Newsletter

our participants. The classes are very engaging and interactive and involve a lot of participation. After lessons, we hold lab time for seniors who want to get extra practice and have one-on-one time with the volunteers. Our typical classes have one volunteer for every two participants so that each senior can be helped on their personal learning levels. Not only do we provide as much assistance as we possibly can for our seniors

One of our Chinese Computer Class volunteers, Lucy, along with two of her

students.

Punjabi and Cantonese Computer Classes

Settlement Director’s Message

The inception of the PICS Seniors Club came into being in order to help seniors become independent. In this age of social media seniors often feel left behind. Since today’s world is very fast-paced, it is the job of the younger population to help seniors catch up and become more self-reliant. We have created these programs so we can give seniors some basic literacy on how they can effectively communicate with friends/relatives both in their home countries and in Canada. We want them to be able to communicate with the mainstream population and we want them to be independent so they don’t feel like a burden to society. We hope that through these programs they will have an increased self-esteem and feel more confident with new-age technology.

I strongly encourage seniors to not sit back and feel that they are not worth anything. They should instead try to keep an active lifestyle and reach out to their community. Our programs give seniors the opportunity to learn and give back. We strongly encourage volunteerism as it is a great way to meet new people and practice existing skills. We believe that there is no shame to learning new skills at any stage in life. Many seniors often feel that computer skills are for

To meet the increasing needs of ageing South Asian seniors, PICS has put together affordable housing programs. Most of these seniors worked in the janitorial services or did farm work, but didn’t have enough savings or pension to live a decent life in a rental accommodation. Some of them were living in their own cars or eating at the Sikh Temples to save some money. Most of them did not wish to go to the food banks because of the shame or stigma culturally attached. We found through a survey that many families weren’t able to look after ageing parents because of mortgage payments etc. Those seniors were left in a very undesirable situation and felt very isolated at home. Therefore, PICS decided to put together an Assisted Living Project in 2007. PICS is committed to the needs of the seniors and strives to ensure that they live their lives with confidence.

The next project in the making is a Long Term Care Home which we are working hard on and hope to get by 2013. If our project is accomplished, then by 2015 we will have another facility for Long Term Care. If the government agrees to go through with this project they will save lots of money because most of these seniors are taking places in extended hospital beds, thus putting pressure on the hospitals that cannot accommodate the new patients. It’ll be good for the community and government to approve this so that we can serve the community and in the meantime save lots of money for taxpayers.

PICS’s mandate is to give seniors respect, integrity, and education. Many seniors who came to Canada have never learned computers or related technology.

Finally we have collaborated with the Khalsa Diwan Society of Vancouver to have a larger space in order to accommodate those seniors’ learning needs. We are setting a computer lab whereby in one day at least 12 people can learn lessons and can be given some service by bilingual workers who can help them understand the content in their own languages. We are also very pleased with the Khalsa Diwan Society of Vancouver for giving us a place free of charge, since at this time PICS society doesn’t have any funding from any resources, and we are thus fully dependent on our volunteers. The classes are currently being taught in at least 5 different Asian languages including Cantonese and Mandarin. All the effort by the staff (Sonia, Project Developer for Seniors Programs in Vancouver, and Sukhwinder, Settlement Coordinator for Vancouver office) who pioneered

Eight years ago, when I retired from teaching in the Vancouver Public School System, I could type report cards on computer and that’s all I needed at the time. I was one of 2 – 3 teachers on staff who passionately disliked computers.

However, the mindset changed after I saw 3 friends (members of the Sunset Community Centre) joined the computer illiterate/beginner’s class at the PICS centre on Main St. Also, the credit goes to Sukhwinder and Sonia (at your office) who came to the women’s meeting at the Sunset Community Centre and suggested we should join the Computer Literacy Classes.

The first day at the computer lab was unforgettable. I noticed that my right hand was shaking to the point I couldn’t hold the mouse steadily, and that interfered with the pointer. Was I too old all of a sudden or was it lack of experience? I think the latter seems to make more sense. My volunteer helper for the day was a friendly young girl. I began talking about the limitations of old age such as lack of energy,

TestimonialsVolunteer Testimonial

Page 3PICS Seniors Programs Newsletter

problems with eyesight and hearing. The young girl sat there listened to me patiently. If she suspected my motivation, didn’t say so.

A big “thank you” to all the volunteer helpers. They are exceptionally talented young girls and boys. Their willingness to help us, kept us going to these classes week after week.

Services Program & Connections Specialist).The event was prepared by one of our very own volunteers, Kiran Shahi, along with Sonia Chaudhary (Seniors Project Developer) and Kaavya Lakshmanan (summer intern).

English Conversation Club

After much demand from our Computer Club participants, we have opened up another club for our seniors to be actively involved in – the English Conversation Club. Taught by Kaavya Lakshmanan (summer intern), the club focuses on improving seniors’ comprehension, pronunciation, and oral communication skills. With a fun and interactive syllabus that centers on classroom participation and group-oriented activities, these classes focus on polishing existing English skills while building up vocabulary on common topics and themes. Each class focuses on a new topic, and the structure is as follows: vocabulary introduction, pronunciation practice, sentence structure/grammar lesson, and journal

Confessions of an Unwilling Learner

By: Gurbachan Khanna

Kiran Shahi’s Volunteer ExperienceBy: Kiran Shahi

My volunteer experience at Pics has been wonderful for me; I learn something new every time I am there. I recently completed my Social Service Worker Co-ordinated Diploma from Langara College and I had spoken to my Practicum Supervisor Joe, I had asked him to please provide me with a practicum where I will get an opportunity to work with seniors and the other thing I asked for please somewhere close by so I don’t have to take the Canada Line, I get nauseas easily. Joe granted my wishes and got to do my final practicum at Pics, I felt very lucky! My practicum at Pics provided me with an opportunity to work with seniors and teach them computer skills in Punjabi. This class taught me new things about computers as well and I also got to practice my Punjabi which has greatly improved. At Pics also I had a chance to work with the settlement section as well, in that area I filled out important forms for clients,

The Basic English Conversation class participants with their

teacher Kaavya.

The English Conversation Club is a recent development that was started by Sonia Chaudhary. Sonia has also helped teach some of the classes.

On May 29, 2012, PICS held its first event of the summer, a Seniors Week event in honor of the South Asian seniors in our community. The event commenced promptly at 3pm and had over 100 attendees. Held at the Ross St. Gurdwara, Seniors Week marks the first time PICS has collaborated with the Khalsa Diwan Society. Nearly every computer club participant showed up to the event, some of them even bringing their families with them. The afternoon’s activities included speeches given by prominent members of both PICS and the Khalsa Diwan Society (including the president of the KDS and the CEO of PICS), a short ceremony commemorating the efforts made by the PICS volunteers, a film on the Komagata Maru tragedy, and a tour of the Gurdwara’s museum. Lunch was also provided for everyone by the Gurdwara.

Mr. Harminder Pal Singh, the Head Priest at the Gurdwara, spoke about old age and the importance of always being willing to acquire knowledge.

Mr. Sohan Singh Deo, the President of Khalsa Diwan Society, spoke about the contributions the KDS has played in the lives of Indians and Indo-Canadians. He briefly discussed the

Events & Celebrations

Top (left to right): Harkaran, Kiran, Monika, Fatima,

Kaavya, Jaspreet, Manmeet; Middle: Mr.

Gurbachan, Sonia, Sukhwinder, Neelam; Bottom:

Harmeet, Angela

“Held at the Ross St.

Gurdwara, Seniors Week

marks the first time PICS

has collaborated with the

Khalsa Diwan Society.”

Page 4 PICS Seniors Programs Newsletter

Volunteers and staff that helped put together Seniors Week:

Special thanks to Angela Bains for fulfilling her role as

Settlement Worker by referring clients and volunteers to us. She

has been a great help to our program by guiding seniors in need towards us. She has also helped us find volunteers by

spreading word of our classes. We really appreciate all her

Seniors Week 2012

in the Surrey branch, such as the Assisted Living Facility. He described the living conditions of those seniors as being “paradise”.

Sukhwinder Gosal, the Settlement Coordinator, Discussed the importance of seniors in our lives and spoke briefly about the computer classes we currently offer.

Sonia Chaudhary, the Seniors Project Developer, discussed problems currently faced by seniors in Vancouver today. She also briefly spoke about future projects PICS intends to bring on board for seniors.

Once the speeches were finished, the attendees were divided into three groups,

Presentations

On May 18, 2012, PICS held an appreciation breakfast for the volunteers who have been with PICS since...and have been helping with the Punjabi computer classes. The morning consisted of delicious food and pleasant conversation. It was a chance to both commemorate the hardworking volunteers and give them the opportunity to get to know one another better and network. The volunteers introduced each other and shared their goals and aspirations. The volunteers were then thanked heartily for their time and effort by Sukhwinder Gosal (Coordinator for the Settlement

during class and lab hours, we also make sure to call them prior to their class and remind

“We were very glad to have Charito

present for us and our seniors

appreciated learning about ways they

could become more independent.”

Page 5PICS Seniors Programs Newsletter

Staff and Volunteers gathered for a group shot after the breakfast:

Top (left to right): Sukhwinder, Mel, Harkaran,

Manmeet, Neelam; Middle Bottom: Jaspreet, Kaavya,

Kiran, Monika

Community Developer from VCH Visits PICS Computer Class

On May 11th 2012, Charito Gailing, a Community Developer from Vancouver Coastal Health, visited one of our Punjabi Computer Classes and gave a short presentation on using the internet for health-related purposes. She explained to our seniors how to use Health Info to search for information regarding medical tests, medication type, and healthy eating. She also briefly elaborated on how to use the Check Your Symptoms area of the website. She mentioned that the 811 phone info line is available for seniors twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and you can ask for help from either a nurse, pharmacist, or dietician in multiple languages. She added that there are a lot of resources available on the website in different languages, and Google Translate can also be used if a particular language isn’t available. Finally, she gave the seniors information on the Punjabi version of the Good search engine, adding that in

Confessions of an Unwilling LearnerBy: Gurbachan Khanna

Kiran, the head teacher is the nicest person, a pleasant personality who really knows how to help seniors with their computer skills. God bless you, Kiran!

My Own Evaluation:I can email my friends. I can get any information from Google, Yahoo, etc. in the comfort of my home. That saves the trips to the public library. Also if your facility allows, and my friends agree, we might continue coming on Wednesdays for extra practice.

Continued from page 2

Mrs. Khanna has been kind enough to donate $200 for the PICS Seniors Programs.

Volunteers Appreciation Breakfast

PICS Seniors Programs Newsletter

Page 6

“To catch the

reader’s

attention, place

an interesting

sentence or

quote from the

story here.”

Progressive Intercultural Community Services

Society8157 Main St.

Vancouver, BC., V5X 3L2

Phone:778-371-8552

Fax:604-324-7702

E-Mail:pics.email2@gmail.com

We’re on the Web!

Visit us at:

www.pics.bc.ca

Motto

Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society8157 Main St.Vancouver, BC, Postal Code

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