Article by Gwen Jones, Department of Family Services
(Posted 2022 August)
More than 50 years after emigrating from Korea, Dr. Heisung Lee has established deep roots in her chosen country and community. In addition to raising a family in Fairfax County, Dr. Lee is the founder of and driving force behind the successful Central Senior Center (CSC) in Centreville, VA. The CSC has served thousands of Korean older adults in the Northern Virginia area, creating community among a population vulnerable to isolation. Even more remarkable is that Dr. Lee accomplished this as a volunteer.
In 1971, Heisung Lee came to the United States from Korea to complete an internship in dietetics, the study of diet and its effects on health. After completing an internship in Richmond, VA, she accepted a job at St. Mary’s Hospital in Richmond. Dr. Lee recalls this time in her life as both exciting and challenging. She was a young woman alone in a new country, removed from everything and everyone familiar to her, trying to understand the culture of her new home. Feeling vulnerable, she realized that she had to embrace her independence and trust herself. Through diligent study and hard work, she began to feel at home.
Dr. Lee met and married her husband while he was studying dentistry at the Medical College of Virginia. After he graduated, the couple decided to make their home in Fairfax County because of the many job opportunities, excellent schools, and large Korean population.
After settling in Fairfax, Dr. Lee’s life became very busy. She and her husband worked hard to establish their careers and got involved in their church while raising two daughters. Dr. Lee worked at Inova Fairfax Hospital and Inova Alexandria Hospital, primarily with older adults. As time passed, she noticed that the average age of the patients she treated was increasing. She developed an interest in how people age, saying, “I wanted to grow old gracefully myself and wondered what the means are to do that?”
To learn more about gerontology, the study of aging and age-related issues, Dr. Lee first enrolled in classes at Northern Virginia Community College, later transferring to George Mason University, where she received her master’s degree and certificate for Gerontology in 1996. After class one day, her professor asked if she would be willing to volunteer as an interpreter at a local senior center. Although she was unfamiliar with senior centers, she agreed to help.
Her first visit to the senior center, located in Alexandria, was an eye-opening experience. The older adults attending the center were gathered in a large meeting room for a special presentation. While the English-speaking participants were able to enjoy the presentation, the Korean-speaking residents sat in a corner together talking. Dr. Lee’s translation allowed the Korean older adults to join the presentation, but the experience made her wonder, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful for Korean seniors to socialize and learn new things in their own language? This is a needed thing for the Korean community.”
Dr. Lee continued to visit the senior center to serve as an interpreter, but an idea had taken root in her mind. In 1994, she and a group of older adult congregants asked the board of their church, the Korean Central Presbyterian Church in Centreville, to provide a recreational program for older adults at the church. The board agreed, allowing use of some classrooms, the kitchen, and the church van. With a food budget from the church and an all-volunteer staff, the program opened to older adults in the area. In 1996, Dr. Lee became actively involved in the program. As word of the program spread, hundreds of older adults started attending, some traveling from as far away as Maryland.
As the number of participants increased, Dr. Lee realized that she needed more support, so she contacted Fairfax County’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for help. The AAA’s director at the time, Carla Pittman, was interested in learning more about how Fairfax County could support the needs of the growing Korean older adult population. After meeting with Dr. Lee and touring the church, Pittman helped coordinate transportation and congregate meal assistance for the CSC.
To offset expenses, the CSC began charging a fee for Fall and Spring semester membership. During the summer, the church needed the classrooms for children’s Bible school, so the CSC closed. The membership fees, along with the church’s support, finally allowed Dr. Lee to hire one part-time staff person while she continued to serve as director on a volunteer basis.
The classes offered at the center are diverse and include English classes, fitness classes, music classes and topics requested by participants, including a memorable saxophone class. As personal computers became more common, they also began offering computer classes. Many of the classes are led by young volunteers, such as the grandchildren of participants. Staff and volunteers have also developed a database of the members to stay connected and help them with their individual needs.
The CSC was greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. After closing for several months, they began offering virtual classes in 2020. CSC volunteers also offered technology tutoring to members living in senior housing and recruited family members to teach their elders how to use computers so they could join the classes. The CSC was finally able to open in-person but continues to offer some virtual programming. For the Fall 2022 semester, they plan to offer classes two days in-person and one day virtually each week.
Witnessing firsthand how easy it is for older adults to become isolated because they lack computer skills has led Dr. Lee to prioritize technology training, saying, “You cannot deny that our society has become more technology oriented. Everything has changed. They (older adults) don’t understand, and it is a barrier.” She hopes to conduct a pilot program where five CSC members will be given a device and training to become proficient using the device. The experiment will help her understand the cost and labor required to bring older adults up to speed.
Although Dr. Lee has entertained the idea of retiring, she loves being active and involved in the CSC. She is reassured that when she is ready, she has great staff in place to take over. For now, Dr. Lee will continue to be an agent of change – identifying needs in her community and working to address them.
This article is part of the Golden Gazette monthly newsletter which covers a variety of topics and community news concerning older adults and caregivers in Fairfax County. Are you new to the Golden Gazette? Don’t miss out on future newsletters! Subscribe to get the electronic or free printed version mailed to you. Have a suggestion for a topic? Share it in an email or call 703-324-GOLD (4653).