Healthy Futures:

Recent studies by John Hopkins Hospital state that almost 35 million U.S. residents are foreign born; almost 55 million people (19.7% of the U.S. population) speak a language other than English at home; more that 24 million people (8.7% of the U.S. population) speak English less than “very well “ and are considered LEP (limited English proficiency patients).  Two major impediments to providing language services are:  a) Lack of availability of a qualified medical interpreter and;  b) inadequate funding.

One study found,  in 46% of emergency department cases, no interpreter was used for LEP patients and only 23% of teaching hospitals train physicians how to work with an interpreter.

Non-English speakers tend to be admitted to the hospital more often and were given more IV fluids and unnecessary tests.

The Russian community is a fast growing community in Colorado, from immigration and also from state-to-state migration from California and New York said Gorizant Newspaper editor, Leonid Reznikov.  Although accurate numbers are unavailable there is an estimate of 90,000-120,000 Russians in Colorado.

Most of these Russian immigrants speak no English.  There are few medical professionals in Colorado who speak fluent Russian.  How can we look to healthy futures with these statistics!  We must start a step at a time.

That is just what the Denver Senior Companion Program at Seniors Inc. is doing – taking one step at a time.  Fifty percent  of our 96 Senior Companion Volunteers are Russian Immigrants.  Being the humble people they are, they do not apply to our program until they feel they can speak and understand  the English language.  Once on board, they are a true example to all of us.  They depend on and support each other like one big family.  And they are the most giving people anyone would ever want to work with.  They are so grateful to be free that they feel it is their duty to give back to America, the country who gave so much to them.

Our Russian Senior Companion Volunteers provide numerous services to the Russian community in the Denver Metro Area -  companionship and friendship to clients, take clients on walks and to exercise classes, help clients fill out tax forms and social service agency forms.  But their huge contribution is their transportation and translation service to medical and dental appointments.  Their translation services not only improve the quality of life for those they serve and make independence a reality – but truly are a life saving service in many cases.  The majority of their clients speak no English and their doctors speak no Russian.  With the huge disparity in healthcare due to language barriers, the service these companions provide cannot be measured in dollars and cents -  but the impact is huge.  

As the Program Director of The Denver Senior Companion Program, it is an honor to nominate this portion of our program for the Service Impact Award.  Saving lives is a huge impact and easily measured.  This personifies service at its best and is definitely worthy of the “Service Impact Award”.