Woks and tandoori ovens.
That’s what you’ll find in the kitchens at the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care. Staff at Yee Hong not only create menus that are ethnically diverse, but they also speak several languages, including Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese, Vietnamese, and a variety of South Asian dialects.
Established in October 1994, the center and its three offshoots – which each contain a dementia unit with unique features to foster safety for residents – provide culturally and linguistically appropriate care for those in the Chinese community and beyond.
As Alzheimer’s and dementia progresses, caregivers know all too well how their loved ones may struggle to communicate their needs and wants.
The confusion only gets worse when a patient is unable to put into words their desires at a mainstream nursing home.
“Without already having to tell us, we know how to meet their needs because we are immersed in the culture ourselves,” says Anna Victoria Wong, director of communication at Yee Hong.
South Asian, Filipino and Japanese seniors make use of services at the nursing home, which operates four long-term care centres in Scarborough, Mississauga and Markham in Ontario.
At a Scarborough facility, a tuck shop or convenience-style store has been set up for residents living with dementia. Here they can freely browse the store and select items that feel familiar and are culturally significant to them, such as Indian clothing or bento boxes.
And during cultural festivities and holidays, staff can anticipate the traditions, food and norms a resident may want to in engage in, Wong explains.
“They have a stronger sense of security because [the resident] is confident his needs are met.”
This ethnically-oriented care not only benefits residents at Yee Hong, but family and friends also receive peace of mind knowing this niche care is helping the person they love.
For more information on the services that Yee Hong provides, click here
Yee Hong Centre: Scarborough McNicoll – Ontario
2311 McNicoll Avenue
Scarborough, Ont., M1V 5L3
416-321-6333
Yee Hong Centre: Scarborough-Finch – Ontario
60 Scottfield Drive
Scarborough, Ont., M1S 5T7
416-321-3000
Yee Hong Ho Lai Oi Wan Centre: Markham – Ontario
2780 Bur Oak Avenue
Markham, Ont., L6B 1C9
905-471-3232
Yee Hong Centre: Mississauga – Ontario
5510 Mavis Road
Mississauga, Ont., L5V 2X5
905-568-0333
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