Su Lin is 53 years of age. She came to Australia from Vietnam as a refugee with her parents, her grandmother and siblings as a child. She has two older brothers. The family live in a three-bedroom house in a working-class suburb. Her father worked as a labourer and her mother as a part-time cleaner.
Su Lin’s first language is Vietnamese. She left school at 15 to help her mother take care of her grandmother at home. Her grandmother died when Su Lin was 22. Su Lin found work as a seamstress in a garment factory owned by a friend of the family. She was a very capable worker, and at one time hoped to become a supervisor; however, the position was given to a male colleague. She has no formal training. She has not married and lives at home with her parents. The family lived frugally so that the two sons could continue with their education; one is now an accountant with his own business, the other is a successful dentist. Both have married and have several children.
About five years ago Su Lin began to lose her eyesight. She is no longer able to work as a seamstress and has been unemployed for several years. Her parents are ageing and becoming frail. Her mother has cancer and is not expected to live for much longer. Mr and Mrs Lin own their house but have no other assets and few savings. The two sons help out financially when needed, but as the only daughter in the family, Su Lin is expected to take care of her parents. She is worried about what will become of her after her parents die and she is alone. She has lost touch with her friends, most of who worked with her at the garment factory.
6) What aspects of inequality have affected Su Lin? Identify at least two factors which contribute to inequality and briefly explain how each has affected Su Lin’s situation.
7) How might Su Lin’s age contribute to inequality and how it has affected Su Lin’s situation?
8) Identify at least two of Su Lin’s issues and needs regarding her health and wellbeing. Suggest a service or program to meet each identified need.
9) Imagine you are a worker in a local community and family centre. Your role is to identify needs, refer to appropriate services, monitor and review progress.
What information would you need to collect to develop a service plan for Su Lin and her parents? Use this information to help you identify at least two relevant services or programs in your area to support Su Lin and to develop a brief support plan.
10) Outline a brief plan for monitoring progress and evaluating outcomes to ensure services will meet Su Lin’s needs.
11) Imagine that you have established a service plan which includes individual counselling for Su Lin around the impact of her failing eyesight on her self-esteem, confidence and mental health. You find that Su Lin is reluctant to attend her counselling sessions and has given a range of excuses for cancelling her appointments with the counsellor, who is highly qualified young man from a Chinese background.
Why might this be happening? What could be changed to better meet Su Lin’s social and cultural needs?
12) Briefly describe the effects and consequences of unemployment on Su Lin.
