ORLANDO, Fla. — Central Florida is a region with countless cultures, which come to life in music, dance, cuisine and community gatherings. 

Each week, a group of Korean Americans come together in Orange County to celebrate their shared roots. However, the weekly gatherings don’t come without their share of challenges, especially for seniors.

“They can’t speak English well, so most of them stay home all day, all week,” said Alex Yi, director of the Orlando Korean Senior Center.

Language and mobility are two factors that Yi says make it difficult for seniors to get around, even considering public transportation. Paulene Yi said many seniors, and their family members, are concerned seniors may become easily lost or disoriented if trying to use public transportation.

It’s why Alex and his wife, Paulene, are driven to fill the gap to make sure Korean American seniors remain connected with those who share their cultural similarities. Without Alex, Paulene, and other volunteers literally driving seniors to weekly meetups and other appointments, Alex said he fears many of the seniors would effectively be homebound.

It’s estimated 42,000 Korean Americans live in Florida, with some 6,000 living in the Orlando region.

LYNX does offer various transportation services for those with disabilities or who are disadvantaged, including the ACCESS LYNX service.

A LYNX spokesperson said representatives are available for those who speak English and Spanish, but for a fee, a three-way call service can be used to assist those who speak any other language. LYNX can be contacted at 407-841-LYNX (5969).