“Hoy, Bagong Taon na naman! Ano ba ang New Year resolution mo?” This is a common greeting we get these first days of the New Year. And the usual response is”Ay naku! Hindi na ako gumagawa ng resolusyon. Hindi ko naman natutupad.”
We seem to have gotten tired of many plans, we had made in the past and were not implemented. WE continue with our set habits and before we realize it another year has gone by.
As one of the relatively young ethnocultural groups in Canada, we have reached about half a century of settlement in this country, we now call our second home. The first Filipinos who immigrated to this country in groups started to come in the early sixties. Most of them were caregivers, nurses, doctors, medical technicians and other related professionals. Most of them were young women who first went to the United States of America and after a few years moved to Canada. Their services have been highly appreciated that to this day one can hardly find a hospital in the country that does not have a Filipino nurse.
These young women and some men have settled in this country with their families. Many of them sponsored their parents to help them raise children while they went to work. Their ability to speak in English had helped them find jobs easily. They have become a productive part of their communities economically, socially, culturally and religiously.
Those newcomers from the sixties and seventies are now senior citizens. They have children and grandchildren who have taken their places in the workforce and in community activities. They have become baby sitters for their grandchildren. Most of them still meet together and have lunch and reminisce the good olden days.
They have something in common that no on can avoid – the aches and pain of advancing age. The blessings of universal health benefits in this country have assisted them in keeping well and active.
There is one ailment that a considerable number of Filipino seniors have – diabetes. Diabetes is a disease that can be managed through proper diet, exercise and follow up. At times many people who have it neglect to take care of themselves until they reach a point wherein it is too late for action.
The Filipino community needs to be acutely aware of diabetes. Our own ethnocultural group has been found to be one of those at high risk of this disease according to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
The Canadian Ethnocultural Council (CEC) has provided the lead in this task. The CEC is a non-government organization that represents a cross-section of the ethnocultural communities in Canada, which aims to promote understanding among the multicultural groups and remove barriers that prevent some Canadians from participating fully and equally in society. It has undertaken health projects to improve awareness and understanding of health issues.
The CEC has undertaken studies on diabetes-related studies since 2002, through community based activities with ethnocultural groups. Through this strategy the CEC has developed a network of partners and organizations to help reduce health inequalities in high-risk communities. The ethnocultural groups identified to have increased high risk of diabetes include people of South or Southeast Asian, Chinese, African or Hispanic origin. People of South Asian origin had been found to have more likely six times of Type 2 Diabetes than the white population. This finding makes the Filipino community anxious to take part in community related activities for seniors.
Most Filipino community organizations have diabetes-related activities. The Markham Federation of Filipino Canadians and Kababayan Community Center had participated in workshops conducted by the Canadian Ethnocultural Council in recent years. Members of these two organizations had shared their experiences in the disease and were shared information on resources for managing diabetes.
The Canadian Ethnocultural Council has continued its project on diabetes related issues. The organization wishes to inform the community especially those groups that are in high risk of contracting the disease, that early detection is very important. The organization through community consultations and partnership with organizations like the Public Health Agency of Canada and various health centers in the country especially those serving high risk communities has developed “A Community Guide to Diabetes in Immigrant Ethnic Populations”. This guide is available upon request to anyone who is interested in having it.
This guide, among other important information, contains the Canadian Risk Assessment questionnaire developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) as the recognized tool for assessing the risk of developing diabetes. Studies conducted showed that using the fasting blood glucose test is not enough to accurately assess pre-diabetes cases.
The National Advisory Committee of the CEC in which the Filipino community is represented, meets periodically to make project updates, evaluations of accomplishments and future plans of action.
Diabetes is not just a concern of seniors. The sooner it is determined that a person has pre-diabetic risks; the greater is the success in controlling it.
We cannot underestimate the importance of the health issues among our seniors at present especially the development of diabetes. It is estimated that about one million people in Canada have diabetes and have not been diagnosed. Joining community organizations that deal with diabetes- related issues is a very effective way of learning how to assess, manage and live a normal life with diabetes. We meet our “kababayan” who may have similar experiences about the disease. We can talk with comfort and trust about our concerns. We can share food recipes that are familiar to us.
The younger generations are appealed to regarding this issue. Let us help our parents and grandparents take time in their daily schedule to attend to their health concerns. Attendance in community gatherings will also provide opportunity for socialization, recreation and education. The sooner one learns that he or she is at risk of developing diabetes; the better it is for the person to manage the diet and regular exercise.
It is high time, seniors, to be the priority in the lives of children and grandchildren; you are their unsung heroes who pioneered life in this land. It is high time that you get the attention you need to enjoy a healthy and wholesome life.
Note: All the data and diabetes related information in this article came from “A Community Guide on Diabetes in Immigrant, Ethnic Populations” Canadian Ethnocultural Council, 2013. For more information, visit their website: www.ethnocultural.ca
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