Free Guide from AGS and AARP Helps Older Chinese Americans Understand and Manage Health During Natio

The American Geriatric Society (AGS) and AARP has launched a new resource at the start of National Minority Health Month for older Chinese Americans that will help individuals of this minority group better understand and drive their own well-being. Developed by AGS with support from AARP, “Chinese American Older Adults: A Guide to Managing Your Health” is a free resource that highlights the most common health concerns in the Chinese American older adult community and ways that they can talk to healthcare providers about addressing them proactively.

April is National Minority Health Month and the American Geriatric Society (AGS) and AARP has launched a new resource that can help older Chinese Americans better understand and drive their own well-being. Developed by AGS with support from AARP, “Chinese American Older Adults: A Guide to Managing Your Health” is a free resource that highlights the most common health concerns in the Chinese American older adult community and ways that they can talk to healthcare providers about addressing them proactively.

“Identifying health issues prevalent to the Chinese American community and informing and educating healthcare providers about them is critical to helping older people live healthier lives. We need to understand the unique needs of minority groups such as Chinese Americans to ensure their health concerns are being recognized and met,” said Daphne Kwok, AARP Vice President of Multicultural Markets and Engagement, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience. “AARP provides and funds research and tools—like this guide—that help individuals, healthcare providers, and organizations reduce gaps in knowledge about underserved communities.”

As the guide explains, common health concerns for older Chinese Americans include hepatitis B infections, cancer (especially liver, head and neck), depression, tuberculosis (TB), cardiovascular disease, diabetes, genetic diseases (including thalassemia and glucose-6-dehydrogenase deficiency), and alcoholism. Many of these conditions require not only expert care but also sensitivity to cultural norms and considerations that can help or hinder well-being depending on how they are addressed.

“We know that people from different backgrounds can have different health risks,” said Nancy Lundebjerg, AGS CEO. “With AARP’s support, guides like this will help ensure that older Americans and their healthcare providers can engage in meaningful, actionable, and culturally sensitive conversations about healthcare needs, expectations, and decisions.”

Chinese American Older Adults: A Guide to Managing Your Health” is available for free download in English and Chinese at AARP.org/AAPI or HealthinAging.org.

For more information regarding this resource, read the full press release on the AGS website.