The
Aged in Utica
Vesna Sin, a Bosnian Community Consultant in
Utica, provided examples of the difficulties often met when
attempting to provide proper health care to the aged refugees.
There are different barriers for the elderly, which should be
discussed. Vesna told us a story about a 93-year-old
Bosnian woman who currently resides in Utica. This woman is
in good health, however, she needs cataract surgery for one eye
and a special hospital bed to elevate her feet and upper body when
necessary . She does not know any English and is unable to
go to classes due to her age and lack of transportation.
The interpreter decided not to express her desires to the doctors
because he felt she was so old that it was not necessary for her
to get these services. 'Why waste his or the doctors time
since she is so old,' was his attitude! What can be done for
the elderly so that such situations do not reoccur? (interview
with Vesna Sin). Here is an ideal example of why trained,
on-site interpreters are needed.
Due to physical and financial reasons, there
are only a handful of "aged" Bosnians who have made the
journey to the United States. However, the numbers are
increasing and Bosnian cultural views on health care for the aged
are important for us to understand. It is crucial for further
research to be conducted in order to find an answer on
how to provide health education for the aged Bosnians?"
We should take special note of the elderly who do not know English
and do not have access to formal education due to physical
constraints.
Nursing
Homes
Nursing homes are not an option in Bosnian
culture. Family and/or close friends are responsible for the
care of the elderly. However, most Bosnians will accept a
home health aid. It would be disrespectful in the eyes of
many Bosnians for a family to turn their back on providing care
for their elders. "It is your moral obligation to take
care of your parents, poor and rich alike," stated Lydia
Hamzic. "People would spit on you if they knew you
placed your parents in a home." Further, it would be
especially detrimental to the well-being of an aged Bosnian
currently in America because most do not know the language.
Lydia said, "No elderly person would last more than a couple
of months in a nursing home, s/he would die of a broken
heart."
However, this may change in the future due to
the "Americanization" of the younger generations.
Today in many Bosnian households, both the mother and father work
full-time to provide for their children. Therefore, they may
not have the time to care for their parents and grandparents
(interviews with Ralph Leo and Vesna Sin).
Home
Remedies
We were unable to find any specific
examples of home remedies utilized by the older Bosnian
generation. However, according to Fatmir Hiseni, a
31-year-old Bosnian who works as a trained interpreter, some aged
Bosnians will choose herbal or food supplements over medication
prescribed by a doctor. Fatmir noted that lemon juice and
particular herbs are sometimes used when someone has a
temperature. However, most Bosnians who currently reside in
Utica believe in the Western medicines and take the medication
that a doctor recommends (interview with Fatmir Hiseni).
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