People of Kin On

Finding Home at Kin On

When my dad needed a nursing home, our family didn’t have the resources or knowledge to find a place that fit his needs. We were immigrants who had only lived in the US for about 15 years. My parents were living in Chinatown at the time. The first two nursing homes he stayed at weren’t well kept, and since he only spoke Chinese, there was a constant communication gap. They also only served American meals, and my dad wasn’t pleased. When Kin On opened in 1987, we were put on the waitlist, and when my dad was finally able to move in, it made all the difference. Kin On offered a place where the staff spoke Chinese, the meals were familiar, and it was much closer to Chinatown.That meant my mom could visit more often—she could just take the bus instead of struggling to find a way to see him. Kin On gave my dad a place that felt like home and gave my mom peace of mind, knowing he was truly cared for.

— Janet J. Wong, Daughter of Former Resident and Kin On Board Member

Kin On Power Couple

Arseng Saewong (黃維德), a Chinese immigrant from Laos, immigrated to the United States in 1978. His connection to Kin On began through his church, where he learned about the organization’s mission to serve the Asian senior care community. He joined Kin On in 1987, just two years after its founding, and has been an essential part of the community ever since.

Arseng began working at Kin On while it operated out of the Keiro facility in Chinatown. He served as a nursing assistant (CNA) for 16 years before transitioning to reception where you’ll find him today. During this time, Arseng married Chun-Yen Zhou (周春燕), and they’ve been married for 30 years. Chun-Yen joined in 1997, the same year Kin On’s Home Care services were established, and has been a steadfast personal care assistant (PCA) ever since.

Both say what keeps them working for Kin On is their love of and passion for working with the Asian senior community.

Kin On’s Employee #1

I was blessed to have worked for Kin On for 36 years – the job which gave me opportunities to meet many wonderful people, serve my own community elderly, utilize my bilingual skills, and also learn new skills. Kin On has become my second home, and I enjoyed every minute I spent at Kin On with my co-workers and the elderly we served.

— Rani Cheung, Former Kin On Staff (Served 36 years, 1986-2022)

To learn more about Rani Cheung, watch this interview from Kin On’s Life Stories series.

Growing Together at Kin On

I was only 21 years old when I started at Kin On. I was a brand-new nurse, with no experience, but Kin On gave me a chance. I remember feeling so grateful and excited. The nurses and staff were patient with me, always willing to teach and support me.

When I started, we were still in the old building. There were about 63 residents, and most of the rooms didn’t have their own bathrooms. We had just one small nursing station, and the front desk was right there too. Even though the building was small and simple, it felt like family. Everyone knew each other, and we all worked together to make sure our residents came first.

I still remember how excited we all were when we moved to the new building. It felt like such a big step forward, and it really was beautiful compared to the old place. Over the years, I watched Kin On grow and add new services — like home care and assisted living — always finding new ways to take care of our elders.

Kin On has shaped my whole nursing career. Even now, I see Kin On as my second home. I always say that when I retire, this is where I want to volunteer. Kin On is a place where our Asian elders can find comfort, care, and community — and it’s a place that will always have my heart.

— Ruth Lingat, served for 29 years as a nurse at Kin On, including roles as MDS nurse and Charge/Staff nurse

Bringing Joy to Kin On

My two sisters, Billie and Connie, and I started volunteering at Kin On in the early days, giving free haircuts to the residents every six to eight weeks. Every time we arrived, they were already lined up, waiting for us. They liked short haircuts, saying it felt neat and comfortable.

What I remember most is how happy the residents were during those visits. Sometimes, we sang old Chinese songs while we worked — songs like “Rose, Rose, I Love You” and “The Moon Represents My Heart.” The residents sang along with us, and seeing their smiles always made our day.

They would say, “I don’t have money to pay for the haircut,” and I would always tell them, “No charge!” What kept us coming back was their satisfaction — the happy faces and the way they always looked forward to our next visit.

I continued to volunteer at Kin On, teaching ballroom dancing in the community center. It’s been a joy to serve the residents and see them enjoy every moment.

— Moliza Wong, Volunteer Haircut Stylist (1989-2019)

Home, Community, Legacy: The Yee Family’s Kin On Story

For the Yee family, Kin On has always been more than a care facility — it’s been part of their home, their work, and their hearts.

“My father, Fred Yee, was Executive Director during Kin On’s early years,” shares Andrea Yee. “He dedicated decades to serving the community, and even after stepping back from leadership, he continued supporting Kin On in retirement. My mom also played an important role early on with Kin On, given her experience as a social worker, before her passing.” Andrea’s younger brother, Alex, was born around the time of Kin On’s grand opening, earning him the nickname, to some, “the Kin On baby.”

Under Fred’s leadership, Kin On reached full occupancy by 1989, built a strong staff team, and established a positive reputation within the community. He was deeply committed to Kin On’s mission, working closely with families to make senior care more accessible and to help them navigate complex systems like Medicare and Medicaid. Even after his time as Executive Director, Fred remained actively involved, serving on the board and initiating community-building efforts like Kin On’s annual Sports Tournament. The fundraising tournament featuring table tennis, soccer, and badminton quickly became a beloved tradition. “Activities like that really brought people together,” Andrea recalls. Her stepmother, Clara, continues to be involved and plays in the Table Tennis Tournament today.

That same spirit of connection is what led to a significant chapter in Kin On’s growth — its multi-year capital expansion. The addition of Assisted Living and the Ark & Winnie Chin Legacy Home transformed Kin On from a single skilled nursing facility into a comprehensive, aging-friendly campus. This expansion included a new community center, supportive housing, and enhanced rehab and sunroom spaces — a reflection of the community’s evolving needs and shared vision.

Fred’s legacy lives on not only through the organization’s growth but also within his own family. “Before my father passed,” Andrea shares, “one of the encouragements he gave was to his sister — my Auntie Helen (Hoy Ping) — to join Kin On’s Assisted Living program. She was hesitant to be away from family, but she trusted his guidance.” Today, Hoy Ping is a resident, and Andrea sees firsthand how Kin On continues to provide culturally meaningful care rooted in trust, language, and shared values.

Reflecting on her family’s journey with Kin On, Andrea says, “Kin On was built out of community need. It was about making our elders feel at home through language, food, and cultural understanding. I hope we continue honoring that legacy while evolving to meet future needs. The heart of Kin On is its people, and I am confident that will continue to center their work.”

— Andrea Yee, daughter of former Kin On Executive Director Fred Yee

Fond Memories and Celebrating Two Visionary Leaders of Kin On

First, congratulations on Kin On’s 40th birthday. This birthday brings back lots of fond memories, and I want to pay tribute to two individuals: Sam Wan and the late Fred Yee.

Sam and I go back a long way. In the early days of operations, Sam served as Kin On’s interim director while on loan from the City of Seattle. He and I were coworkers in the Aging and Disability Services (ADS) Division. Later Sam left the City and served as the CEO of Kin On for thirty years. As they say, the rest is history. Sam’s leadership has propelled Kin On into a preeminent skill care nursing facility that is unique in its culturally and linguistically appropriate services for the Chinese community.

I want to highlight Sam’s visionary leadership in creating the Healthy Living Program in 2016. This program represents an upstream approach in helping the younger old strive and stay independently in their own home for as long as possible. This program has flourished with a growing number of participants in numerous educational and recreational programs in the Seattle and Bellevue sites. These programs benefit the physical, mental, social and emotional health of people over 65. I have been honored to be a volunteer instructor of Enhance Fitness, one of the programs in HLP. Sam, together with Kin On leadership, created a comprehensive continuum of care for a wider range of the elder population for living healthy lives.

Fred Yee is another highly respected community leader whose tremendous contributions to Kin On and the broader community is familiar to many. I want to speak on his lighter side here. After I retired about 14 years ago, I attended a few karaoke parties that Fred and wife Clara hosted. At a Mah Jong game one day in 2013 he nudged me into joining him and others in singing at a Kin On Karaoke fundraiser event. Thankfully, he enlisted the help of Rosa Leung who saved my day. I survived the first ever and the most nerve wrecking moment as I stepped on the stage before over 500 guests and sang! While still nervous, this novice singer has sung at other community fundraisers. As this experience shows, Fred was even a leader in his “spare” time, in connecting people in service to the community.

Fred later joined a group of us who sang for Kin On Skilled Nursing residents. It was most rewarding to see the elders clapping along as we sang the songs that were familiar to them. Wing Leung now organizes and has expanded singing and dancing performances to Kin On’s Assisted Living and Adult Family Home residents.

Sam and Fred, together with many community leaders, have built a strong Kin On. I wish Kin On many more decades of excellent service to the community. Happy 40th!!

— Selina Chow, Kin On Volunteer

Kin On: A Beacon of Care and Community

Since as early as 1989, Dr. I-Jen Chen has been involved with Kin On to serve Chinese seniors and the community. At the time of Kin On’s “Building Our Own” expansion campaign, Dr. I-Jen Chen wrote to patients and the public, urging support for Kin On’s 100-bed nursing home. Over the years, he remained involved with Kin On and served as Kin On’s Medical Director from 2015 until his retirement in April 2025. Today, he continues to volunteer at the Eastside Community Center, giving weekly health and information talks through Kin On’s Healthy Living Program.

For Dr. Chen, healthy aging has always meant more than medical care; it is about living with purpose, family, and community. In 2001, he founded the Asian Senior Concerns Foundation (ASCF) to create a hub for Asian elders to connect. What began as weekly gatherings quickly grew into daily programs, all volunteer-led, with classes in Tai-Chi, dance, and more. “When we attend to our seniors, we are also receiving love from them,” Dr. Chen shared. “We are a big family here in Seattle.”

In 2003, ASCF and Kin On collaborated to host the first Senior Health & Awareness Day – now Seniors’ Day – an annual celebration bringing over 400 participants together. “It was an annual reflection for the elderly participants to share with each other but also the community.”

“People now know about Seniors’ Day through Kin On’s Healthy Living Program, and HLP is with Kin On. Kin On came from the community, and is for our community. When we decided to officially merge ASCF with Kin On in 2015, we knew that the programs and relationships ASCF developed would benefit more of our seniors and the younger generations through Kin On. Kin On has been a beacon for Seattle’s Chinese-American elderly and the Asian community for the last 40 years. I believe we are and will be in another four decades.”

Embodying the Healthy Living philosophy, Dr. Chen leads and teaches Fall Prevention Tai-Chi, sparking joy through dance, and reminding seniors that they still have time to learn and grow. “Kin On is home where our seniors and the Asian community are,” he says. “It is a place of delight, meaning, and endless possibilities.”

— Dr. I-Jen Chen, former Kin On Medical Director, served 36 years (1989 – 2025)