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February 2008 – National Senior Independence Month
Each month, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) identifies general themes which coincide with the scope and vision of the Department's boards and bureaus. You can view a full listing of events that the DCA will be attending, many of which correspond with the theme of the month, on our Outreach Events Calendar.
National Senior Independence Month is dedicated to celebrating and increasing independence for older Americans.
Seniors need support from family and friends, and they also need to be confident in themselves in order to live independently. Self respect, self esteem and morale are some of the most important ingredients involved in aging with dignity. Being well informed is a big part of that process. Click here to visit the DCA's Senior Resource Center, which provides valuable resources to empower seniors in the marketplace and help them to make informed decisions.
Part of maintaining independence is maintaining good health. The Department of Consumer Affairs houses many boards and bureaus which regulate issues of special importance to older consumers, such as the Respiratory Care Board, the Board of Acupuncture, the Board of Pharmacy, the Medical Board of California, the Bureau of Naturopathic Medicine, the Physical Therapy Board, the Cemetery and Funeral Bureau and the Hearing Aid Dispensers Bureau. Click here to see a full listing of boards, bureaus and commissions within DCA.
It is essential to properly screen your medical providers before allowing them into your home, or the home of a loved one. The DCA stresses the importance of using licensed health care professionals. Visit this link to check if your health care provider is licensed. In the case of home-care providers, it is also important to note that some assistive personnel are not required to be licensed, but are only allowed a very narrow scope of practice. Registered nurses always require a license. To learn the difference, click here. If you or a loved one has received substandard medical treatment or if you feel your health practitioner is operating without a license, you can file a consumer complaint through DCA's on-line complaint process.
Unfortunately, senior citizens are often the target of scam artists and identity thieves. To help defend older consumers, the DCA offers the Senior Scam Buster kit, which contains a variety of useful information on identity theft and protecting yourself from scammers. The kit can be viewed online or can be ordered by calling the Office of Publication Design and Editing at (866) 320-8652.
Tet Festival & Chinese New Year
Tet (short for Tet Nguyen Dan, which means 'the first day') is arguably the single most important Vietnamese Holiday. It celebrates the beginning of the Lunar New Year which usually falls at the end of January or beginning of February. The centerpiece of the celebration during Tet is always the street festival. These festivals include a wide variety of traditional Vietnamese activities such as folk dancing, martial arts exhibits and dragon dancing intermixed with American staples such as amusement park rides, carnival games, and parades. The Department of Consumer Affairs will be attending a number of Vietnamese events in honor of this important holiday. On February 3rd, we will attend the Tet Festival Celebration in San Francisco's Tenderloin District. We can also be found at the Vietnamese Spring Festival & Parade on February 10th. For more details, visit the Outreach Calendar of Events. The Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. It begins on Feb. 7, 2008. Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for, and celebrate, the New Year.
In China, the new year is a time of family reunion. In the United States, however, many early Chinese immigrated without their families, and built a sense of community with their neighborhood associations instead. Today, many Chinese-American neighborhood associations host street fairs and other New Year events.
DCA will be attending The Golden Dragon Parade in Los Angeles' China Town on February 9th and 10th. The same weekend we will also be attending the Chinese New Year Floral Street Fair in Monterey Park.
Red is a significant symbol at Chinese New Year celebrations. People wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits.
In many areas the highlight of the festival is the dragon dance. The dragons often stretch over a hundred feet long and typically are made of silk, paper, and bamboo. Traditionally the dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets.
Many of DCA's publications are available online in Chinese, Korean and many other foreign languages. Click here to see a full listing of our publications.
