Finding the best help and information as you face the challenges of aging  is not always easy, especially if you are living in a foreign country. Language is one of the main problems older residents face when they need health-related and social assistance. And Philadelphia is not an exception.

More than 40,000 of the city’s 273,000 elders were born in another country and nearly 47,000 of them do not speak English as a first language. Of those, 16,000 are Latino and more than 13,000 are  Spanish-speakers. That makes a tremendous number of people who might benefit from help. That is where Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) comes in.

The Philadelphia  non-profit has developed a variety of programs of assistance covering a number of concerns: from healthcare to housing, transportation to legal assistance. This are some of the organization’s  initiatives:

Telephone service (215-765-9040)

PCA has 17 bilingual advisers who speak 11 languages (Arabic, Korean, Malayalam, Nigerian/Cameroonian Pidgin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Ukrainian, Vietnamese and Yoruba). They also offer professional interpretation services with around 140 different languages available.

Multilingual website (www.pcaCares.org)

The website compiles information from approximately 1,200 local programs developed by different organizations. It is available in 16 languages.

Community centers

PCA funds 33 community centers available for Philadelphians elders (60 years old or older). They provide food-centered and recreational activities, among others.

Housing and transportation assistance

Through the Assistant Repair Program (SHARP), PCA carries out reparations and modification in the houses of its users.

They also offer two transportation assistance programs. They collaborate with Septa’s CCT Connect with Shared Ride initiative (215-580-7145), and have developed the Attendant Transportation Service (215-765-9040) with the aim of helping  people with physical or mental disabilities.

Assistance to family caregivers

Philadelphia Corporation for Aging also offers a program of assistance to family members that are taking care of people over 60 years old, or people younger than 60 diagnosed with dementia.

Also, there is a companion program with bilingual participants.

These are not the only initiatives offered by PCA. Employment, legal or health insurance advising are other services the organization provides. For more information visit www.pcaCares.org or call 215-765-9040 (8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday) of 1-888-482-9060 (free number if you are outside from Philadelphia).