Social Service: Seeking a Human Dimension

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

[Office murmers] Yeah. Yeah, that's all right.

At the Teijyū Shakai, Japanese American Service Committee, the social service workers generally start the day by making contact with clients.

Eiko Fricke:

もしもし、野尻さんですか。私定住者会のフリッキーです。いかがですか？

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Taking the time to be pleasant, to ask about their health, talking about the weather or about the family is important, even in these short contacts, Issei 00:01:00appreciate people who know and observe Japanese customs.

Some clients are hard of hearing, others don't have telephone, or are afraid to pick up phone because they can't understand English. Clients like these need a letter so that they don't forget we are coming.

Dorothy Kaneko:

[inaudible] 楽しかったね。

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

On the job, we don't think it's a waste of time to chit-chat. We feel the human touch is important, especially with old people, we have to work with them for long period of time. So keeping relationships warm and pleasant helps.

Dorothy Kaneko:

Yeah. Before I forget, I wanted to discuss with you about our social program.

Tomoko Satoh:

Okay.

Dorothy Kaneko:

I'm really in a quandary about July's social program, where to go and what to 00:02:00do. In our planning committee, we had planetarium down, but we've been there recently.

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Before we start our individual rounds--

Dorothy Kaneko:

--college, and I think that would be an all day affair, and we can't have any more all day affairs. --

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

...we generally meet to talk about our clients and the programs. We talk about how we can help this client, what is the best way to handle the situation.

Dorothy Kaneko:

-- So, I'll need help deciding what to do.--

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

What is the plan for this program, and so on.

Dorothy Kaneko:

-- But for August we got it printed for a picnic, so that's all set, now.

One of the clients brought this in.

Unidentified Speaker:

Oh, that's pretty.

Dorothy Kaneko:

Yeah, a toilet paper cover.

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Each client we serve has different needs, and we try to tailor our program to them.

Dorothy Kaneko:

Our latest client, I was kind of surprised to see how well she looked, considering she was a stroke patient.

Eiko Fricke:

Maybe like a home work person.

Dorothy Kaneko:

Maybe she'd like to do a little home work. I'd be willing to bring it for her.

Eiko Fricke:

That's good.

Dorothy Kaneko:

And she said she'll think about it, and let me know.

Eiko Fricke:

Let her do whatever she can do. Not do everything for her. You know, let her do, yeah uh-huh.

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

The lady I'm going to see now is a shut in, and needs things she can do that she will enjoy and make her feel useful.

Eiko Fricke:

こうして、こういう風にして掛けるようにしたらどうでしょう。ステキですよ、きっと。これは、これに合いますよ。この洋服に、こうして合いますよ。ほらね。ステキですよこの色だったら、とてもあなたの洋服に合いますよ。

Unidentified Client 1:

これでなくて、他のでも着れますでしょう。

Eiko Fricke:

着れますよ。やあ。

Unidentified Client 1:

これは、習おておいたら良かったですね。

Eiko Fricke:

そんなことないですよ。

今習うところが丁度いいの。

Unidentified Client 1:

こう？

Eiko Fricke:

はい？ちょっと待って、やあ、 ここですよ。

Tomoko Satoh:

ハロー、藤沢さん、いらっしゃいます？佐藤です。

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Others need the services of a homemaker. Mrs. Fujisawa is hard of hearing, so she leaves the door open for our worker.

Tomoko Satoh:

ハーイ。

Mrs. Fujisawa:

ああ

Tomoko Satoh:

いかがですか？

Mrs. Fujisawa:

ありがとう。

Tomoko Satoh:

どうですか、お元気？

Mrs. Fujisawa:

ありがとう。

Tomoko Satoh:

これね、頼まれた本。これね、買い物してきましたよ。これが本で。

Mrs. Fujisawa:

はい、じゃあ、お金払わないと--

Tomoko Satoh:

いいですね、有難うございました。お金確かに頂きましたね。これね、袋を頼まれたでしょう？

Mrs. Fujisawa:

はいはい。

Tomoko Satoh:

これくらい大きいのができましたよ。ほら、このぐらい。

Mrs. Fujisawa:

Oh、thank you

Tomoko Satoh:

いいですか？

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Mrs. Fujisawa is moving and she wanted a big laundry bag to put her clothes in.

Tomoko Satoh:

...そしてここのところしっかり縫っておいたから、あの、何入れても大丈夫よ。いいですか？

Mrs. Fujisawa:

Thank you. Thank you.

Tomoko Satoh:

そしたらショッピングはこれね。

今日は何しましょうか？

Mrs. Fujisawa:

モップしてもらおう。

Tomoko Satoh:

モップ？

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Also, the homemaker cleans or cooks whatever chores need doing.

Tomoko Satoh:

さあ、終わりましたよ。モップが終わりましたよ。

Mrs. Fujisawa:

はいはい、次はいつ来てくれます？

Tomoko Satoh:

そうですね、あの--、来週の火曜日。

Mrs. Fujisawa:

火曜日？

Tomoko Satoh:

いいですか、来週の火曜日でいいですね。何か買ってくる物ありますか？

Mrs. Fujisawa:

本とか--本とかね。

Tomoko Satoh:

本と、何がいいです？フルーツか何か買ってきましょうか？

Mrs. Fujisawa:

フルーツでもね。

Tomoko Satoh:

本と、フルーツと。

Dorothy Kaneko:

時々変わるといいね。コックなさるの？お一人で、

Unidentified Client 2:

今しません。

Dorothy Kaneko:

しないの？

Unidentified Client 2:

今あまりできません。

Dorothy Kaneko:

ほかの日はどうします？

Unidentified Client 2:

ほかの日は自分でコック--自分で買ってくる。

Dorothy Kaneko:

おお、買ってくるの？どこから？

Unidentified Client 2:

あの、ジュエルとかそんなところ。

Dorothy Kaneko:

おお

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Our clients are old age Japanese, so they sometimes like to eat Japanese food. We provide Japanese meals on wheels three times a week.

Dorothy Kaneko:

それで洋食お好きですか？

Unidentified Client 2:

ええ、好きですよ。もともと何でも好き。

Dorothy Kaneko:

ああ、でも時々日本食があるといいでしょう。

Unidentified Client 2:

こんなもの入りますとね、時々はいいの。

あまり続くと嫌になっちゃうね。

Dorothy Kaneko:

ああそうですか。

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

In all our contacts, companionship is important. Some clients have definite problems and need individual attention, but for many Isseis, just coming to the work center and working and feeling needed is a great help.

Eiko Fricke:

[inaudible] 00:08:00それでは皆さんハッピーバースデーを歌いましょう。[group singing Happy Birthday song]

Fred Odanaka:

もう日本では、61になったら年取りでしょう、年寄り。

Unidentified Workshop Client 1:

はァ？

Unidentified Workshop Client 2:

嘘ばっかりいって、

Fred Odanaka:

ああ、61

Narrator - Fred Odanaka:

In the work center, we try to create the sense of a large family so that even though the supervisors control the workflow, they interact with the Issei.

Fred Odanaka:

This is one of our supervisors here who is bilingual, and she helps coordinate the work activity on this table and also on occasion, help in the counseling of some of the senior citizens.

Unidentified Workshop Supervisor 1:

あんた、向う見なさい。ちょっと、

Unidentified Workshop Client 2:

[inaudible]

Unidentified Workshop Supervisor 2:

What happened? No good? What? Down here? No. That way? No, this way.

Unidentified Workshop Client 3:

No.

Unidentified Workshop Supervisor 2:

Yeah.

Unidentified Workshop Client 3:

Right.

Unidentified Workshop Supervisor 2:

Okay. Okay? Now wrong one, now try.

Fred Odanaka:

These are dental and first aid room or examination room.

Narrator - Fred Odanaka:

Monthly, a volunteer registered nurse takes a blood pressure of Isseis and maintains a record on them. A volunteer dentist makes biweekly visits and checks teeth, usually dentures. The charge is only for materials. The medical facility is not used enough due to the lack of volunteer doctors.

Fred Odanaka:

Some of our senior citizens, our Isseis, help instruct in other classes, such as Mr. Higashigawa here, who is a instructor in cooking for our Issei students 00:11:00here, and he is one of the well-known chefs here.

Narrator - Fred Odanaka:

When there is a large participation of Issei in an outside activity, we often close our workshop for the day. That's because we stress coming to the center to enjoy life by working and sharing, going to classes in ceramics, sewing, macrame, weaving, brush painting, singing and body dynamics.

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Classes and social hours help relieve the isolation and provide human interaction that Issei need. However, some clients need and respond to very personal attention.

Ichiro Kagei:

もりやまさん、大変ですね。夜寝られますか？うるさいでしょう。

Mr. Moriyama:

うるさくてかなわんよ。

Ichiro Kagei:

どっか、アパート、ムーブしますか？

Mr. Moriyama:

Yeah.

Ichiro Kagei:

しますか？貯金は大丈夫ですね?

Mr. Moriyama:

Maybe tonight it will comeから...

Ichiro Kagei:

誰が？

Mr. Moriyama:

FBIが。

Ichiro Kagei:

FBIが？二人ですか？

Mr. Moriyama:

みんなチェックしてあるよ。

Ichiro Kagei:

何しますか？

Mr. Moriyama:

何でもないよ。

Ichiro Kagei:

FBIが来たらどうしますか？

I inherited Mr. Moriyama from my predecessor. At first, I found his speech quite incoherent and his ideas unclear. He often mentions the FBI. I discovered that the whole thing with the FBI had to do with an encounter he had with them during wartime. This led to his now imagining things. That's why I decided that I must listen to him seriously, but at the same time, not take the stories too seriously. So, I began by making up incredible stories about the FBI. They were so ridiculous that he would laugh at them and say that I was crazy.

Mr. Moriyama:

[inaudible]

Ichiro Kagei:

It is hard for me sometimes to tell what is real and what is not. I kid around with him because I think it kind of jolts him back to reality. I wave my hands in front of him, poke him, and often startle him. I realize that this method will not work with just anybody, but it works with Mr. Moriyama. When we kid each other, we're just like buddies. I guess we understand each other.

He never married. He has no relatives or friends. He lives alone and the voices that he hears are his only companions.

I think he would really go insane if these voices stopped completely.

Communication is not limited to kidding around and talking. Sometimes silence is just as important. Just being with another human being is what is needed. You know, it's like saying you're not alone.

Eiko Fricke:

And we are having lot of other activities. You know we increased more activities at our center.

Mrs. Ijichi:

Oh is that so?

Eiko Fricke:

Yeah

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Mrs. Ijichi was once very withdrawn. And a problem that a helper will have to face is how to pull people out of this withdrawal and still be honest about their situation.

Eiko Fricke:

They're really enjoying those programs.

Mrs. Ijichi:

Oh, that's nice.

Eiko Fricke:

Yeah, I hope you can come though.

Mrs. Ijichi:

Oh yes.

Eiko Fricke:

For our program.

Mrs. Ijichi:

Oh, well, thank you. I would like to join.

Eiko Fricke:

Yeah, if you like to come, you know, we can pick you up and come, you know let you come someday to see.

Mrs. Ijichi:

Oh, uh-huh.

Eiko Fricke:

That must be nice, isn't it?

Mrs. Ijichi:

Uh-huh.

Eiko Fricke:

Yeah. Do you think you can come sometime? If I can come and pick you up?

Mrs. Ijichi:

Oh, well we have that here too, you know?

Eiko Fricke:

Oh, that's right too. But I think everybody you know, your friends are waiting to see you too.

Mrs. Ijichi:

Oh, well. Is Mrs. Lewis still working?

Eiko Fricke:

Mrs. Lewis is not too well, so she's staying home.

Mrs. Ijichi:

Oh, she's not working now.

Eiko Fricke:

Not working now. Mrs. [inaudible] is 90 years old. She's working every day.

Mrs. Ijichi:

oh, for goodness...It's amazing, isn't it? A woman of her age?

Eiko Fricke:

Yeah. We had a special birthday for her because that was a...

Mrs. Ijichi:

Oh yes, that's quite an age to live up to.

Eiko Fricke:

Yes.

Mrs. Ijichi:

Uh-huh.

Eiko Fricke:

So, maybe you like to come and see them too.

Mrs. Ijichi:

Uh-huh.

Eiko Fricke:

Do you think that if we come and pick you up you can come?

Mrs. Iwanaga:

The doctors are killing me, you know? They don't know how to fix me. So, I'm not going to any more doctors.

Eiko Fricke:

Not helping?

Mrs. Iwanaga:

Nah, they don't know what to do.

Eiko Fricke:

Well, I don't want you to getting so tired, so I'll let you rest. Okay?

Mrs. Iwanaga:

Okay.

Eiko Fricke:

And I'll come again and I'll talk to you, okay?

Mrs. Iwanaga:

Okay.

Eiko Fricke:

And you can call me.

Mrs. Iwanaga:

I'll want that. So, if I have somebody with me, it'd be nice.

Eiko Fricke:

Well, it's kind of hard, but I'll try. But I can't promise right now. Okay? Yeah. Probably think about it later. Okay.

Mrs. Iwanaga:

I tell, my sister-in-law was saying that there was a place where they, where you have sent Japanese Americans...

Eiko Fricke:

Yes, yes.

Mrs. Iwanaga:

Where is that?

Eiko Fricke:

That is the place that like a nurses and doctors, 24 hour duty...

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Other clients who are very sick, will withdraw. Most of them know their real condition, so we try to help them to accept the situation without giving up.

Eiko Fricke:

Your sister was asking about that.

Mrs. Iwanaga:

Yeah.

Eiko Fricke:

If you like to go there for a while--

Mrs. Iwanaga:

I think that sounded good.

Eiko Fricke:

Yeah. For a short time. Not, not permanent, but short time until you get very well.

Mrs. Iwanaga:

What if I die in a very short time?

Eiko Fricke:

No. Are you going to?

Mrs. Iwanaga:

I hope so. Giving myself mercy killing. What's the use of living? I'm just a vegetable?

Eiko Fricke:

You're not vegetable. You're talking?

Mrs. Iwanaga:

That's all. I can't do anything else.

Eiko Fricke:

You can think about it. You can make planning.

Mrs. Iwanaga:

I have to think about being a vegetable. Yeah.

Eiko Fricke:

Yeah.

Mrs. Iwanaga:

That's nice.

Eiko Fricke:

Yeah. Well, vegetable won't smile like you. Beautiful smile.

Narrator - Eiko Fricke:

Mrs. Iwanaga died one week after this filming.

There are sad parts to the job. Withdrawal and death are some of these, but the 00:19:00main job of the social service worker is to help create an atmosphere in which the Issei can still feel useful, helping things to grow, sharing work and pleasure, continuing to do the everyday things that bring fun and meaning into their lives.

Unidentified Speaker in Garden:

これ持って帰って.