20. Renfrew Park Community Centre

Project Description

Note: This project will take place online and in person

Context/Background

Renfrew Park Community Centre opened in 1963 and offers an active complex of facilities to serve the growing Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood. It is jointly-operated by the Renfrew Park Community Centre Association (RPCCA) and the Vancouver Park Board. Renfrew-Collingwood is home to the city’s highest population of children and youth and fastest growing seniors population. Numerous languages are spoken throughout the community and the community's multicultural population is celebrated through a variety of diverse and vibrant cultural events.

As part of a wide compliment of community programs for older adults in the neighbourhood, the RPCC Chinese Seniors Group meets on Friday afternoons from 1:30 - 3:30pm. Friday activities vary widely and include guest speakers, workshops, and more. RPCC and the Chinese Seniors Group are working to support healthy and engaged lifestyles for local seniors, including ideas and resources to inspire healthy home-cooked meals. This project addresses the need for a workshop offered primarily in Cantonese so that the content is easily accessible for the program participants.

Food Systems Issue(s) Addressed in this Project

Through this project, LFS 350 students will support RPCC Chinese Seniors Group participants to make more informed food choices that support overall wellbeing. Delivered in Cantonese, and incorporating culturally relevant information, the workshop (1 or possibly 2) will lower barriers to nutrition education for our community members.

We hope most, if not all, of the following topics can be addressed in the workshop(s):

• Understanding and maximizing the nutritional value of foods commonly eaten by Chinese seniors in our program
  • For example, understanding the nutritional value of favourite Chinese soups, and tips for preparing them to maximize health benefits (e.g. using fresh seasonal vegetables, using less salt)
• Understanding recommended portion sizes and nutrient requirements for older adults
• Understanding changes to the digestive systems of older adults
• Discussing traditional Chinese cultural beliefs and practices related to healthy eating
  • There are many food beliefs we were taught as children and we still follow them today. What does current research say about whether these practices support our health and wellbeing?
• What is the new Canada Food Guide, and how do we interpret it? Are the guidelines relevant and appropriate for the needs of Chinese seniors?
• What are some reputable Chinese language nutrition resources we can access?

Main Project Activities

Background Research

• Work with community partner to collect information on program participants' diets (e.g. everyday home cooking, commonly eaten restaurant foods, favourite special occasion dishes) - this information could be gathered through a short survey
• Research common health challenges, especially diet-related conditions, affecting Chinese seniors
• Select a number (to be discussed with partner) of foods/dishes identified in the participant survey. Develop nutritional analyses for these dishes for inclusion in the workshop
• Research culturally familiar, local and seasonal vegetables
• Research food substitutions and recipe adjustments to be considered by Chinese seniors with health issues

Workshop

• Deliver one or two Cantonese language workshop, in-person, at Renfrew Park Community Centre
  • Workshop could include food samples, if this is logistically possible/practical. There is a commercially approved kitchen on site. Please discuss with Albert and Nick

Main Project Deliverable(s)

• 1 or 2 in person workshops (number to be determined with the community partner)
• Presentation materials, such as posters or slide deck (translated)
• Translated handouts, such as a small booklet, with key information from the workshop(s)

Student Assets and Skills (preferred or required)

• Students with Chinese heritage can help ensure the material is culturally relevant (beneficial, but not required)
• At least one or two students who can present to our seniors in Cantonese
• Ability to translate their presentation material to Chinese

Are there any mandatory attendance dates (e.g. special event)?

• Group members must be available to facilitate the workshop(s) on one Friday (1:30pm - 3:30pm)
• Specific date to be decided with community partner and student team
• Currently, Nov. 3, 10 and December 29 are not available for presentation

Is a criminal record search (CRS) required?

• Yes. The student team should collect all group members' full names and submit them in one email to Nick Fong at nick.fong@vancouver.ca in order to initiate the necessary paperwork.
• This step should be taken as soon as possible once groups are assigned.
• CRS instructions will be posted in Canvas. Please contact your TA or the course coordinator if further support is needed

How much self-direction is expected from the students?

• Deciding on the project deliverable(s): Equal leadership between students and community partner
• Developing the activity plan and timeline: Mostly led by students, with some community partner input
• Scheduling and initiating the communication plan (e.g. weekly Zoom check-in, biweekly email update, etc.): Led by students
• Implementing the activity plan (e.g. surveying stakeholder groups): Mostly led by students, with some community partner input
• Finalizing the deliverable(s): Mostly led by students, with some community partner input

Related Volunteering/Community Service Opportunities for Students

• Would love to see any team member living close to the Community Centre to volunteer their time in our senior programs but this is not a prerequisite

Required Reading

Project/Partner Orientation Materials

Students should review the following materials prior to the first partner meeting. Additional orientation materials may be provided at the first partner meeting.

• Healthy Eating for Seniors community presentations (scroll down to find the facilitator's guide and presentation materials)
• Zhou, P. (2019). Facilitators and barriers to healthy eating in aged Chinese Canadians with hypertension: A qualitative exploration
• Donnelly, T.T. (2008). Contextual factors influencing dietary practices of Chinese Canadian seniors: An overview and synthesis
• Zhao, X., Tan, X., Shi, H. et al.. (2021). Nutrition and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM): A system’s theoretical perspective. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 75. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-020-00737-w

Additional Materials

• Healthy Eating for Seniors Handbook (Chinese edition - culturally adapted and translated from the English version)
• Canada's Food Guide (translated)
• Older adult nutrition screening tools (developed by LFS/HUNU instructor, Anna Brisco RD)
• Downloadable seasonal choi brochure (translated) (hua foundation)
• Downloadable dried goods guide (translated) (hua foundation)
• 7-day Chinese healthy meal plan (Diabetes Canada)
• Mycek, M.K., Hardison-Moody, A., Bloom, J.D., Bowen, S. & Elliott, S. (2020). Learning to eat the “right” way: examining nutrition socialization from the perspective of immigrants and refugees. Food, Culture & Society, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/15528014.2019.1700681
• Guidelines for Assessing Nutrition-related Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices. Food and Agriculture Organization
• Cade JE, Warthon-Medina M, Albar S, Alwan NA, Ness A, Roe M, Wark PA, Greathead K, Burley VJ, Finglas P, Johnson L, Page P, Roberts K, Steer T, Hooson J, Greenwood DC, Robinson S (2017). DIET@NET consortium. DIET@NET: Best Practice Guidelines for dietary assessment in health research. BMC Medicine, 15(1). doi: 10.1186/s12916-017-0962-x