Another successful year of helping families face Alzheimer’s and Dementia

By Staff Blogger/ January, 2018

At Alzheimer’s Orange County (AlzOC), 2017 marks the end of another successful year of providing free services and programs to the Alzheimer’s community in Orange County. We are extremely grateful to our supporters, generous donors, and our incredible staff for making it possible through their selfless efforts.

Our Impact

Our no-cost programs and services continued to make difference in the lives of older adults with memory loss and their caregivers in Orange County. In 2017, we served over 25,000 individuals with memory loss and their caregivers. Below are the highlights of our programs and services:

  • Early Stage Services – Through our various educational series, discussion groups, and activities, we helped address concerns, enable earlier treatment, and empower families to plan for the future, including financial and legal matters.
  • Education – We hosted over 500 free classes and workshops for those with memory loss concerns, families, caregivers, and the community. Our classes include family education as well as professional training for healthcare professionals and community first responders. See what classes are we offering in 2018 and RSVP now to reserve a seat.
  • Support Groups – Our support groups provided regular meetings where caregivers could share their experiences and feelings and hear from others in similar situations. We offer over 45 support groups in Orange County, led by trained group facilitators and available in different languages including Spanish, Vietnamese, and Korean.
  • Family Care Consultations – Our 24/7 Helpline at 844-HELP-ALZ provided free information, education, support and assistance with community resources. We offer consultations in-person or by phone to assist with planning, problem solving, referrals to community resources, and emotional support.
  • Language Support – We are pleased to offer many of our services in Spanish and Vietnamese languages in order to reach the growing diverse demographics that are also affected by the disease.
  • Adult Day Care Centers – Our adult day centers provide daytime social and healthcare programs to older adults, adults with a dementia diagnosis, and adults with a chronic health issue. Our two adult day centers include Acacia Adult Day Services and South County Adult Day Services. Now we serve over 200 individuals at our two adult day centers.

Merger with new Adult Day Center and a drop-off program

This year, we expanded our capacity for more in-person services for aging adults by merging with Acacia Adult Day Services in Garden Grove. At our other daycare center, South County Adult Day Services in Laguna Woods, we spearheaded an innovative Family Drop-off Respite Program where caregivers can sign up for “drop-off hours” to run errands, take care of personal business, or simply take a break from exhausting caregiving responsibilities to restore their energy.

An initiative to Grow Older with Fulfillment

Beyond dementia care, AOC is committed to improving the aging experience for all older adults across Orange County. We founded and chair the Orange County Strategic Plan for Aging. A first of its kind, this collaborative program brings together the County of Orange, 18 OC cities, 11 non-profits, and 4 regional funders to plan for future. This program has recognized 10 key initiatives to improve the lives of older adults in our OC community – OC Successful Aging; Housing; Transportation; Elder Abuse Prevention; Social Engagement; Food Security; Healthcare; Communications; Funding and Sustainability; and Technology. This initiative is expected to have a vital impact on the lives of OC seniors.

Thank you AOC Sponsors and Volunteers!

“The good you do today, will come back to you tomorrow”. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of our sponsors for their generous support and our wonderful volunteers for their time throughout the year 2017. We count on their continuous support this year and beyond so we can build together stronger communities to take care of the needs of older adults in Orange County. Thank you so much!

 

To support Alzheimer’s programs and services in Orange County, donate here!

To view complete impact report of 2017, visit http://www.alzoc.org/2017impact/

Learn more about Alzheimer’s disease on www.alzoc.org