Focusing on Care Options For the Latino Community in Houston

As part of Hispanic Heritage Month, AARP in Houston has two new podcasts focusing on health care choices and caregiving resources for the Latino community.

Language barriers, high cost and lack of time off work are among the reasons Latinos may not seek medical treatment. The Spanish-language ¿Sabes Qué? con AARP podcast will look at curanderismo, the use of ancient folk-healing methods. 

It will discuss when people should consider using a curandero, such as an herbalist or counselor, and when to go to a doctor. Listen at aarp.org/sabesque.

“Gifted lay healers called curanderos support their local neighborhoods by providing services where physical and emotional help is not available or understood,” says Tony Zavaleta, professor emeritus of anthropology at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Visiting a curandero should never exclude getting medical care but can be a supplement, he says.

The Prepare to Care podcast will focus on tips for family caregivers. One in 5 Hispanic adults provide unpaid care to someone 18 or older with health issues or a disability, AARP research shows. Listen to the podcasts at aarp.com/houstonptc, SoundCloud.com, youtube.com/AARPTexas or via the Apple Podcasts app.

—George Bridges