Drawn to the balmy climate and the “paradise” environment of Coachella Valley, California, the valley’s population is a diverse mix of people who share similar interests in the recreational, cultural, and social opportunities readily available throughout and around the region.  Among those in the mix is a vibrant community of deaf and hard-of-hearing people, many of whom relocated to the valley from other parts of the nation and made their homes in Palm Springs and other neighboring communities.     

With American Sign Language (ASL) being their primary mode of communication, a small group of deaf friends found themselves increasingly frustrated by the lack of sufficient and competent sign language interpreting services in the area.  Geographically located about one hour east of Riverside and two hours east of Los Angeles and San Diego, it was difficult, and cost prohibitive in most situations, to get qualified sign language interpreters to travel to the Palm Springs area to interpret for situations ranging from one person’s medical appointment to stage performances for deaf audiences.  In addition to that, the group was also concerned about the availability and quality of age-appropriate and barrier-free services and resources for the area’s deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens.   

Seeing the need, and envisioning a fully accessible all-ages community center and affordable senior housing for deaf and hard-of-hearing people, an idea was formed to establish the Deaf Seniors Foundation of Palm Springs.  Founded by Barbara G. Goldman, Robert J. Miller, Darol F. Nance, Philip C. Rubin, Stephen Schultz, and Eileen B. Schultz, these individuals became the first members of the Board of Directors.  Mr. Rubin, Mr. Schultz, and Ms. Nance were selected to serve as president, secretary, and treasurer respectively.     

Incorporated on October 24, 2007, the primary purpose of the Deaf Seniors Foundation of Palm Springs is to raise funds to achieve its community center and senior housing goals.  To announce its official inception and kick off its first fund raising event, the board hosted a social gathering and silent auction at a private residence in Palm Desert on November 3, 2007.  Subsequent fundraising activities have included a Wine Tasting Workshop in March 2008, a Chocolate Making Workshop & Dinner in October 2008, a “Deaf Day at the Park” picnic hosted jointly with the Palm Springs Chapter of the California Association of the Deaf (PSCAD) in May 2009, and an Oktoberfest in October 2009.   

The 7-member board is responsible for developing extensive fundraising plans that will include solicitations of donations from the general public, corporate entities, and private foundations.  Additionally, the board will plan and sponsor regular fund raising events that will include special guests and auctions.  While planned events will be held primarily in the Palm Springs area, the board is open to the possibility of sponsoring events in other regions of Southern California that have large concentrations of deaf and hard-of-hearing people. 

By Stephen Schultz
 
As of 2008, statistics provided by the National Association of the Deaf, Inc. (NAD) indicated that, in the United States, there were 17 independent living and residential homes, and 70 senior citizen clubs or organizations, for deaf and hard-of-hearing people.  There were fewer available statistics about public or private senior care facilities that are staffed with qualified personnel who are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) and dedicated to the care of elderly deaf and hard-of-hearing people.

Additionally, conferences sponsored in recent years by the Deaf Seniors of America (DSA) have shown that the availability of information about living options for deaf seniors was scarce, or minimal at best.  With an ever increasing population of 55+ deaf and hard-of-hearing citizens moving to Palm Springs and the neighboring desert cities of Coachella Valley, California, the Deaf Seniors Foundation of Palm Springs (DSF-PS) was formed to address this trend.    

Through arrangements made by a family advisor from Senior Living Options of the Desert, a group of individuals participated in a fact-finding tour of six private senior care facilities on Friday, February 27, 2009.  Representatives on the tour included officers from DSF-PS and the Palm Springs Chapter of California Association of the Deaf (PSCAD) as well as officials from the Greater Los Angeles Agency on Deafness (GLAD).  GLAD, which generously provided an interpreter for the tour, also offered its services to interested senior care facilities on various topics such as issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), screening interviews to assess the sign language skills of qualified employees, referrals, and sensitivity training workshops for board and care administrators and staff.  

The facilities on the tour ranged from independent living (ILF) to senior nursing care (SNF), including licensed 6 to 10-bed board and care homes within the Coachella Valley region.  Since most private senior care facilities do not accept the complex “red-tape” programs of Medicaid, Medical, or Medicare (with the exception of Medicare, as applied for a limited time for rehabilitative purposes only), plans are underway to visit those public senior care facilities that do accept Medicaid, Medical, or Medicare.   

One owner and operator of several board and care facilities expressed great interest in our mission.  A site that the group visited within Palm Springs was a newly constructed facility that had a pending license application to operate as early as March 2009.  Upon learning of their monthly fee structure, it was determined to be cost prohibitive for most low income deaf seniors who are dependent on monthly subsidies.  Back to square one.