On April 16, Andy Chen, a Chinese immigrant running for State Assembly in the 40th District, visited a nursing home located on 162nd Street in Flushing, New York to visit the elderly residents.
Chen has been actively engaged in community organizing for over a decade, including serving as an auxiliary police officer at the 110th Precinct.
“I heard that a new nursing home opened here, so I came to take a look,” Chen said. “The elderly not only need community activities but also important services, and I want to understand their needs.”
The nursing home, named “New Franklin,” reopened as a senior medical rehabilitation center three years after being closed during the pandemic. The director, Rose Hellman, shared that they used to have nearly a hundred Chinese clients before the pandemic, and it is a comprehensive medical service center for rehabilitation and care.
Chinese elderly residents at the center expressed their fondness for the “door-to-door service.” An 80-year-old man surnamed Wang said, “The service is good, and staying here is very comfortable. I feel much younger here.”
Chen, who moved to the United States from Fujian at the age of 13, believes now is the time for immigrants like himself to take action. “I also want to encourage more young people to come out and give back to society. I think this is a very important thing to do.”
Editor: Chen Winky