August 21, 2024 • 27 mins
In this episode, Diana Marquez-Siemers and Rachel Smyth from the Caregiver Resource Center (CRC) provide expert insights on the challenges and solutions for families caring for loved ones with dementia. Join Steve and Virginia as they learn about the CRC’s commitment to supporting caregivers. They also discuss the development of their personalized care plans to address each caregiver’s unique needs, offering coaching, training, and ongoing support to ensure quality care. With over 60% of caregivers in Southern California caring for someone with cognitive impairment, this episode highlights the importance of reaching out for help early in the caregiving journey as well as connecting with a supportive community.
From the Caregiver Resource Center OC:
The Caregiver Resource Center OC is a trusted partner for Orange County families, who are coping with the physical, emotional, and financial responsibilities of caregiving. By providing families with individualized supportive services, the Caregiver Resource Center stands apart as the only Orange County agency focusing exclusively on the needs of caregivers, who are coping with a loved one’s chronic illness. The Caregiver Resource Center provides family consultation, support groups, assessment and care planning, counseling, respite planning and community education.
Since 1988, the Caregiver Resource Center has assisted thousands of families who care for an adult with a brain-impairing condition such as Alzheimer’s, stroke, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, head injury, or Huntington’s disease, or for someone who is over the age of 60 and requires daily assistance. The Caregiver Resource Center works collaboratively in the community with other service providers and community providers in the aging and disability network.
Services are free. For more information, call 800-543-8312 or 714-446-5030 or go to our website: www.caregiveroc.org
The materials or product were a result of a project funded by a contract with the California Department of Aging (CDA), as allocated by the Orange County Board of Supervisors and administered by the Office on Aging. Supporting data is available by contacting Caregiver Resource Center OC at 130 W. Bastanchury Road, Fullerton, CA 92835 (714) 446-5030. The conclusions and opinions expressed may not be those of the CDA and that the publication may not be based upon or inclusive of all raw data. Services are provided free of charge. Voluntary contributions are gratefully accepted, and no one is denied for inability to contribute.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Steve (00:06):
From the University of California, Irvine, this is UCI
MIND's, Spotlight on Care, thepodcast where we share stories,
experiences, tips and advice oncaring for loved ones affected
by Alzheimer's and otherdementias.
Hello, everybody. Welcome toanother session of Spotlight on
Care. We're very excited todaybecause we have UCI MIND's, one
(00:29):
of their major partners with us,the Caregiver Resource Center,
and it's a statewideorganization but we're going to
be talking to two ladies todayfrom Orange County location,
which is in Fullerton. Let meintroduce our two guests. We
have Diana Marquez Siemers andshe is the direct care clinical
supervisor at the CaregiverResource Center. She was hired
(00:51):
in 2017 and will be working oneight years coming up pretty
soon. She's been in the fielddelivering programs serving
families, caregivers, disabledadults, and other adults for
about 30 years. She's also afamily caregiver herself, for
her mother with Alzheimer'sdisease, so she's got her own
personal experience to dwell on.
Her mother was diagnosed twoyears ago and she's working at
(01:13):
the agency and serving familycaregivers and being a family
caregiver gives her the helpthat she needs and allows her to
operate in an even differentbetter level. In addition to
Diana, we have Rachel. So RachelSmyth is a licensed clinical
social worker and has workedwith older adults and caregivers
(01:34):
for nearly 10 years. Rachelworks at the Caregiver Resource
Center, and is their educationcoordinator and family
consultant, which means that sheworks with caregivers all the
time, as does Diana. Rachelholds a Master's degree in
social work and a lot of thepeople that are at Caregiver
Resource Center have social workdegrees -many Masters- and she
was currently awarded the Valuesand Action Recipient at
(01:56):
Providence St. Jude Center.
Rachel believes that each of uscan make a difference in someone
else's life and finds joy inserving others. And she's also a
caregiver, or has been for hergrandmother, who was diagnosed
with vascular dementia 10 yearsago. So welcome, ladies.
Rachel (02:14):
Thank you. Happy to be here. Oh, sorry, Diana, very
happy to be here.
Diana (02:18):
Thanks having us here today, Steve.
Steve (02:20):
Well, as I told you, ladies, both times that we've
met, so excited to find thisentity because, you know, one of
my focuses, of course is oncaregivers, an underserved
community. Anything you'd liketo add, Virginia?
Virginia (02:32):
Well, I'm happy to be here with you two. And I'm going
to find this very interesting.
When my mom was first diagnosedwith Alzheimer's, I just felt
like I was in the dark. And Iwould have really loved to have
had an organization like yoursto go to. So I don't know much,
but I'll listen a lot today.
Steve (02:51):
You do know a lot about caregiving. Okay, well, let's
talk a little bit about a briefdescription of the organization
and its mission.
Rachel (02:58):
Sure, absolutely. So I'll go ahead and talk about
that, Steve. So CaregiverResource Center, Orange County,
we're a trusted partner forOrange County families who are
coping with the physical,emotional, financial
responsibilities that come alongwith caregiving. And we provide
individualized supportiveservices to families, and we are
the only Orange county agencythat focuses exclusively on the
(03:20):
needs of caregivers. We providefamily consultation, we have
support groups, assessment andcare planning, counseling,
respite planning, and communityeducation. And our mission at
the Caregiver Resource Center isto increase the quality of life
of caregivers by helpingfamilies and communities master
the challenges of caregiving.
And we've been around since1988, so this is our 36th year.
Steve (03:43):
Wow, and I just found them, a couple of years ago.
Rachel (03:47):
We get that a lot, that we're the best kept secret. But
we don't want to be, we want tobe the best, but not a secret.
Steve (03:52):
You need somebody with a marketing background. I don't
know anybody like that.
Rachel (03:56):
We do.
Steve (03:57):
So are you aware of any other organizations like yours
that operate in other states?
Diana (04:03):
Yes, there's, you know, each state like here in
California, we have theCalifornia Department of Aging.
And this Caregiver ResourceCenter is statewide: here in
California, there are 11 and weare one of the 11. But in other
states, I recommend that youlook at your State Department of
Aging website, and that willdirect you to different
(04:24):
providers or contractors, eachstate runs a little differently.
Contacting the local area agencyon aging, where you live will
also provide you with theresources you need. So, states
may have different names, theymay call it aging and disability
or many states also have manycounty--in fact there's 622
local area agencies on aging inthe United States. So, each
(04:46):
state does have some form ofsupport to families who care for
loved ones with a cognitiveimpairment or I was also
researching there's a lot ofprograms also for children who
are disabled. So, I encourageyou to look up your State
Department of Aging and the AreaAgency on Aging.
Steve (05:03):
Great Diana, that's good to know. I mean, I think this is
a special organization, but it'sgood to know that other states
are doing similar kinds ofthings.
Rachel (05:11):
So recently, I was in the process of completing a
Dementia Care Specialistcertification. And in that
training -which was from JohnsHopkins University- California
is actually referenced as one ofthe states with the most
comprehensive services forcaregivers and Caregiver
Resource Center statewide systemwas actually discussed during
that training. So I thought thatwas really neat to see that
(05:33):
California seems to be kind ofleading the way in providing
services to caregivers.
Virginia (05:38):
Oh, that's excellent.
Steve (05:39):
So this is an organization that isn't just
dedicated to Alzheimer's ordementia patients, it has the
ability to serve many otherkinds of caregivers who are
dealing with other kinds ofdiseases and so on with their
loved ones. But, how many ofyour clients are dealing with
dementia and Alzheimer's here inSouthern California, Orange
Rachel (05:59):
Like you mentioned, we do serve all caregivers. So,
County?
there are many other chronicillnesses and diagnoses that our
caregivers are providing care totheir loved one. But for us,
it's about 60% of our currentfamily caregivers are caring for
someone who has some type ofcognitive impairment. And when I
was looking into that, that'sjust who has already received an
(06:21):
official diagnosis. So I'm surethat number is actually a bit
higher, because a lot of peoplecome to us feeling lost not
knowing where to start, nothaving a diagnosis, but knowing
that there's something differentabout their loved one. And
they're just trying to navigatethis complex medical system and
figure out how to receive thatdiagnosis, so that they can
provide the best type of careand really understand what's
(06:42):
going on with their loved one.
But it's about 60%. But I have afeeling it's actually a little
bit higher than that.
Diana (06:47):
I totally agree, Rachel.
In my personal experience, eventhough my mother was formally
diagnosed two years ago, Isuspect she had symptoms like
maybe five, six years prior tothe diagnosis and I did not put
two and two together, it was avery gradual. But because I was
a sibling who had more contactwith her -more frequency- I
(07:08):
picked up on the subtleties. AndI would share that with my
sisters. But it took many yearsbefore it got to the point where
"Yeah, something's wrong withmom."
Steve (07:18):
And that is the case, way too often, unfortunately,
finding out about this diseasesooner, any form of dementia
sooner is is really, especiallywith some of the changes or
evolution that's going on withthe care of this disease. What
if you had to name a couple ofmajor challenges that caregivers
are facing in dealing with theirloved ones with dementia? What
(07:39):
would you say?
Diana (07:40):
Well, I would say financial challenges because the
cost of caregiving is very high,and finding the right person to
take care of your loved one,it's not easy. We went through
many, many, many caregivers. Andthat was very frustrating and
stressful, and also the stressof family not understanding the
disease. I think for me,personally, that was very
(08:01):
frustrating and treating mom asif nothing was wrong, and that
compromised my mother's qualityof life.
Virginia (08:07):
I think a lot of times the siblings will say
just getting older. What do youexpect?"
Diana (08:12):
I got that very often.
And as well as (08:12):
"She looks great, there's nothing wrong
with her" was probably one ofthe things that-- it still
happens, but not as often.
Steve (08:22):
Would you add anything to that, Rachel?
Rachel (08:24):
Oh yes, I literally came with a whole list of challenges.
Steve (08:28):
Well we only have a limited time.
Rachel (08:29):
I know, I know. I'll keep it short. For challenges
that dementia caregivers aredealing with, oftentimes,
there's a lot of behavioralissues that we're just not
understanding that behavior iscommunication. Just that lack of
information, training awarenessof what the disease really
entails and what can be expected-communication challenges,
difficulty figuring out whatlong term care is going to look
(08:50):
like- as Diana mentioned,financial stressors, and there's
a lot of grief that's going onfor a family caregiver whose
loved one has dementia or adifferent cognitive issue. But
it's hard enough to be a person,you know, and manage all the
things that we all have to
manage (09:08):
our taxes, our car registration, our own doctor's
appointments. And then acaregiver is doing that, but
they're also living an entiresecond life for someone else.
And so that in and of itself isjust a huge challenge. It's time
money, emotions, there's just somuch that goes into this.
Steve (09:25):
That's great. I wanted to ask you what the keys are to
caregiving from your experienceand having been in this field a
few years myself now, I keepremembering that the caregiver
needs to remember they need totake care of themself first.
Because well, not necessarilyfirst, but they need to be aware
of that. And would you agreewith that, and what would you
add that you think is somethingthat you would tell a caregiver:
(09:48):
"Hey, these are the things,these are the three things you
need to worry about."
Diana (09:51):
You hit it right on the nail. Self care, and that's
something it takes practice andskill because I'm still working
on it. When you have no choice,in other words -when you're
caring for someone- you areresponsible for their welfare
and safety. So taking a break,whether it be stepping outside
or trying to prevent isolationis important, and connecting
(10:15):
with others. Sometimes it maynot be family, it could be your
friends or other people, peers.
So the key is really abouttaking care of your emotional
needs, your physical needs,following up on your
preventative care, not neglectyour health, because it will
compromise you in the end. Ithink I've experienced some of
that because I neglected myself,so I'm back on track.
Steve (10:38):
Good for you, good for you. Rachel, is there anything
you would say to the caregiver,you know, like a word or two
that they need to keep up a mindwhen in their caregiving role?
Diana (10:47):
You cannot do it all, you are only one person. So it's
important that we getcomfortable with asking for help
and accepting help, really whatI would say.
Steve (10:57):
Very good. You know, one of the things that I was
particularly impressed with whenwe first met a few years back
was this whole idea of a careplan, because that comes up in
conversation a lot when I'vetalked to caregivers. It's like:
"Ah, what's the plan here? Iwish I had something to work
with or understand." So you guysdo that. And I think it would be
(11:19):
helpful if you talked about thesteps in creating a care plan.
Rachel (11:23):
Sure. So a care plan is part of our program that we do
with every family caregiverwho's connected with us. And a
care plan, to me is a livingdocument in that it's constantly
changing. It's being updated,it's being worked on and really
designed to meet the caregiversneeds and their unique
caregiving situation. The waythat we come up with this care
(11:43):
plan is by doing a verycomprehensive assessment with
the family caregiver. Theassessment that we do together,
which can be in person, it canbe in the caregivers home, it
can be on Zoom, it can be byphone, it's really whatever
works for the caregiver. We'rereally here to try to make
things easier and lessstressful, not more. I think
caregivers have enough stress ontheir plates as it is. But the
(12:04):
assessment that we do that helpsus develop this care plan is
comprised of a number ofdifferent areas. One of which is
talking about what kind ofdirect care they're providing
with the activities of dailyliving and medical tasks, health
care utilization, memory,behavioral issues, technology,
we're talking about care plansrelated to health, legal
(12:27):
financial issues, we talkedabout placement. We're also
really emphasizing aconversation about self care.
What does that look like for thecaregiver? How are they taking
care of themselves, their ownhealth care utilization. We also
talked about caregiver burden,depression, we explore other
ways of coping that maybe aren'tthe most healthy, that can be
hard for caregivers to talkabout, like substance use and
(12:50):
suicidality, we talk aboutloneliness, we talk about all
these different areas of acaregivers life, so that we can
then collaborate with thatcaregiver to figure out what it
is that they're really needingsupport with. And that's how we
develop that care plan. Andsometimes we might have an idea
of what we think the care planshould be right? But the
caregiver is the expert. And sowe work very collaboratively
(13:15):
with them to determine what itis they need. And then we break
down that care plan into a goal,but then also steps to get to
that goal. So that's really howwe develop it and what it looks
like. And then Diana, I'm notsure if there's anything else
that you'd like to add about thecare plan.
Diana (13:31):
Basically, the assessment she just talked about, we're
looking at the big picture,we're looking at all the
different components in ourcomprehensive assessment tool.
It's the foundation for we callit the Caregiver Action Plan. So
assessment is where we look atwhere the caregiver is at, at
that point in time. And then wecollapse what the concerns are,
(13:52):
what are the interventions? Whatis the goal? So it's three
different things, but it'sclient centered. Wherever
they're at in their journey,that's where we start.
Virginia (14:02):
So they probably don't know, many times what the
roadblocks are going to be. Andtheir challenges, because it's
new to them. It was to me,right? And I couldn't have done
a care plan on my own. That'sfor sure.
Steve (14:17):
Yeah, I think it sounds incredibly comprehensive. I
heard you say that before, butnow it's on the air and we
understand it.
Diana (14:23):
Right it is very comprehensive.
Steve (14:25):
One of the things you mentioned is updating. So this
plan gets created, but what'sthe frequency of contact or, you
know, the execution process?
Rachel (14:36):
Sure. So at an absolute minimum, we're doing a
reassessment of that originalmeeting with our caregivers
every six months at an absoluteminimum, but there is so much
contact in between. And like Imentioned, this is a living
document and as goals getaccomplished, as we make
progress, that gets changed andso it really depends on the
(14:59):
needs of of the caregiver. Somepeople, it's you know, they're
managing okay right now and sothey don't really necessarily
need more than every six months.
Other caregivers, as we allknow, with caregiving, there's
peaks and valleys and crisescome up and things get very
intense. And so in those times,we might be having multiple
contacts in a week with acaregiver. And so it really
depends on the situation andwhat their needs are.
Steve (15:21):
So there's no limit.
Rachel (15:22):
There's no limit. And people can join as many groups
as they want, they canparticipate in as many classes
as they want. So really, theyget familiar with a lot of our
team members. They have aspecific family consultant, who
is a Master's level socialworker, who's their go to
person, but they also have theirsupport group facilitator, that
person who does the classes. Andso they get really connected
(15:42):
with a lot of support.
Steve (15:44):
That's terrific, I hope you are understanding how
valuable this organization is.
How have you seen a care planhelp a caregiver on a practical
level, and maybe on an emotionallevel?
Diana (15:56):
I can share one client that I had followed for a little
while. He's no longer with us,his partner passed, but his
example would be, you know, amale caring for his best friend,
a female, she was much older.
But they were both single, therewas no children involved. It was
just them two. They had familyout of the country. So he came
to us through a friend who hadheard about us and his partner
(16:20):
hadn't had any formal diagnosis.
But he was just a littlefrustrated that she wasn't
listening to him. And she keptleaving the stove on and
sometimes she would just, youknow, leave the house and
neighbors would bring her home.
And they lived in a verycohesive complex. So his care
plan was essentially firsteducating and talking about
(16:42):
safety. That's a hallmark. Ifthere's any safety concerns,
that's what we talk about rightaway even in a new client, we
may call them very often, orcheck in to make sure that
there's preventative measures toavoid you know, mishaps. So the
practical advice was (16:57):
"Okay, let me teach you about this and
connect with the doctor, youneed to make an appointment..."
So I literally had to like: "Okay, do this first, do this (17:04):
undefined
second, when's the appointment,share your concerns..." I was
able to get a medical IDbracelet, indicating that she
has some tendencies of wanderingand a phone number. So that was
very practical. And thenemotional support, he was very
lonely, because he was findinghimself spending more time with
her and he became isolated. Sothe next step was okay, let's
(17:26):
look into a daycare center. AndI helped coordinate-- that was
case management. In other words,I taught him what exists and
what possibly would help him andhis partner, so she can get
stimulated; she was just bored,he didn't know how to manage
her. So that transpired, he madethe appointment, things fell
into place. She startedattending daycare, and that
allowed him time to meet up withfriends and pockets of time
(17:47):
where he can just not be aroundher because he said she was
driving him crazy.
Steve (17:54):
Did he ever tell you how he felt as a result of the help?
Diana (17:56):
Well, he was very grateful, because I saw him at a
retreat that we had sponsoredand he was very grateful. And he
said, that's the first time thathe's ever met so many caregivers
in his life, he thought he wasalone. So I think it opened up a
paradigm for him that he was notalone and he was very grateful.
It sounds very simple, but hejust didn't know.
Steve (18:14):
Rachel? Do you have a story to tell? I have a feeling
you might.
Rachel (18:17):
Well I have many, many stories. I mean, it's been such
an incredible place to be a partof, both as someone who's
serving caregivers, but also ina caregiving role. But less of a
specific story, but the way thata care plan helps a caregiver in
more practical ways, to me, is Imean, I've never spoken with a
caregiver who hasn't experiencedstress or isn't experiencing
(18:41):
stress, feeling overwhelmed,feeling just lost, not knowing
what to do. And when you'rereally stressed out, and you're
just under this immensepressure. It's hard to remember
things, it's hard to thinkclearly, it's hard to focus. And
so having something that isconcrete that you can look at,
refer to when you're feelinglike: "Okay, what am I supposed
to be doing? What kind of helpam I trying to get in place?"
(19:04):
Having something that's simpleand written down that you can
look at can be a really helpfultool. And then not only being
able to look at the goal, but wealso break it down into what
steps. You know if (19:12):
"Okay, start to explore Medi-cal. Well, what
is that going to look like? Stepone, look at this website, step
two..." and so we really breakit down, but more so the
emotional benefits of this careplan. Our care plan focuses on
the caregiver. And just eventhat emotional support can be a
literal lifesaver for ourcaregivers. And I think we all
know that depression and anxietyis extremely high amongst
(19:34):
caregivers. And so it really canbe a literal lifesaver, and
everything is always about ourloved one. And that is really,
really important. And I'm nomathematician, but if I
understand correctly, without acaregiver, there is no
caregiving. So it's so importantthat the caregiver does
prioritize themselves and theirwell being. And oftentimes, I
hear that just knowing that weexist that we're there when
(19:54):
someone needs something or theyknow: "Oh I can call Rachel, I
can call Diana. I can call mysupport group," is really,
really meaningful. And noteveryone understands what it's
like to be a caregiver. Sofinding somewhere that you can
share and feel understood, feelseen, be heard, is really,
really invaluable.
Steve (20:14):
And those were great stories. It just proves out the
point, I think you're alldealing with this idea of
caregivers being alone. Alone ona practical level, alone on an
emotional level, and a sensethat there is no one out there.
And I hear the same thing,support groups, one on one
conversations. I think we'regetting kind of close to time.
(20:34):
Okay, so I'm going to ask youguys though, a couple of other
questions. When shouldcaregivers contact the Caregiver
Resource Center? Is it coveredby sooner rather than later?
Diana (20:45):
For me, the sooner the better. Even if you're not a
caregiver yet, or you just wantto make an inquiry or you see:
"Hmm, I am observing somechanges with my in-laws or my
grandparents. And I'm wonderingwhat kind of resources are
available." You know, it's nevertoo early or never too late,
because people feel that it'stoo late to call and we get
those calls (21:06):
"Oh, I've been doing this for 25 years." And
they say (21:08):
"Oh, I wish I would have called." But that's okay.
So we'll start right there, andthen move forward with
supporting them through theirjourney. So as soon as possible
is preferable, because then youwill have the tools.
Steve (21:20):
I think that's true, not only of the caregiver
responsibility, but just theidea of identifying this
terrible disease and knowingabout what's coming is so, so
valuable. And we hear more andmore, get in, get the
evaluation, build the care plan,you will have a chance, and
really for the fear of the lovedone, they're trying to avoid it.
(21:42):
And this is an opportunity forthem. Do you guys do anything
that deals directly with theloved one in terms of
encouraging them in the process?
Diana (21:51):
Our client is a caregiver, but we're mindful of
who their loved one is and whattheir needs are, what their
deficits are. So in a sense,when we support the caregiver,
the care receiver benefitsbecause you can technically even
prevent abuse, if you'refrustrated, or you know, you're
at your wit's end. It's thetools that you need to have good
(22:11):
caregiving and preventing abuseand having quality caregiving.
And the more that the caregiveris empowered, the better the
care receiver will be in theirlong term care.
Steve (22:22):
So you're even able to kind of help the caregiver
understand how to help the carereceiver. I never heard that
term, how the value of doctor'svisits or evaluations are part
of the process. So that's someof the coaching you've given
them.
Diana (22:38):
Exactly.
Steve (22:39):
Okay. I think there's a lot of caregivers who are like,
like you said, Diana, I knowsomething's going wrong. I don't
know how to start, I don't knowwhere to go. That's a time to
call Caregiver Resource Center,because they'll help you figure
that out.
Diana (22:53):
Yes, absolutely.
Steve (22:55):
Okay, well, any final thoughts that you might have
about the whole idea ofcaregiving or caregivers or what
you do as an organization?
Diana (23:06):
Well, the final thought that I would like to leave to
our listeners is that, you arenot alone. It feels like you
are, but you're not. Becausecaregiving is a unique; looking
for your village, like who areyour village, seek out people,
you know, who bring value toyour life and to your role and,
and support. It can be neighborsfriends, but your village is
(23:26):
very important. We are part oftheir village. So in many cases,
we are the only people thatsupport them through their
journey and capitalize onsupport groups and classes,
because that's also verytherapeutic. Not only do you
learn, but you connect. Andthat's how you get valued.
Steve (23:42):
Oh, I couldn't agree more. Rachel, did you have
anything you wanted to add tothat wonderful comment?
Rachel (23:47):
Yes, hard to follow up after Diana. But I just want
those who are listening to knowthat, I mean, to me you as a
caregiver or doing the mostselfless thing that someone can
do, and that's caring forsomeone else who can't care for
themselves. Caregiving is oftenvery thankless, either our loved
one maybe doesn't want our help.
And so they're not very, youknow, expressive of gratitude.
Or maybe they're not capable ofexpressing that gratitude. And
(24:08):
this is just a really difficultjourney. And so those
difficulties of caregiving canmake it feel like every day is a
challenge. But a big part of whyI'm here is I really want
everyone to know that caregivingis also one of the most
beautiful and sacred spaces thatyou can hold with another
person. But it's really hard tosee that beauty and the joy of
it if we're not taking care ofourselves. If we're not taking
(24:30):
time to find our own joy,celebrating each and every win
no matter how small they are,resting and recharging and
accepting that caregivingincludes caring for ourselves.
Steve (24:42):
Aren't these ladies amazing?
Virginia (24:45):
I have somebody I'm going to give this recording to
real fast.
Diana (24:50):
Yes, please do.
Steve (24:51):
If some of our listeners were looking for a contact, just
Google Caregiver ResourceCenter, or because they may not
be just in Orange County, whatwould you recommend in terms of
contact?
Rachel (25:02):
Sure, people call us from outside the county all the
time. And that's okay. We'lljust get their information and
give them the correct CaregiverResource Center's information.
But if you're are looking tocontact us, you can go onto our
website, www.caregiveroc.org. Oryou can call us, our phone
number is 800-543-8312. Wealways have a social worker
(25:25):
assigned to the phones, so thatyou'll be able to connect with
someone. Whether you're lookingfor long term support and really
getting engaged with ourprogram, or if you're just
calling looking for a list ofadult day programs. Whatever it
is, I always say just call usand we're the best place to
start. And then we'll help youget connected to the other areas
that you're looking for.
Steve (25:45):
Terrific. I think that last line was exactly perfect.
Caregiver Resource Center. Thankyou ladies so much.
Virginia (25:55):
Thank you so much.
Steve (25:56):
We really appreciate it.
Diana (25:57):
Thank you.
Rachel (25:57):
Thank you both.
The materials or product were aresult of a project funded by a
contract with the CaliforniaDepartment of Aging, as
allocated by the Orange CountyBoard of Supervisors and
administered by the Office onaging. Supporting data is
available by contactingCaregiver Resource Center OC at
130 West Best and Terry Road inFullerton, 714-446-5030, and the
(26:19):
conclusions and opinionsexpressed may not be those of
the CDA and that the publicationmay not be based upon or
inclusive of all raw data.
Services are provided free ofcharge voluntary contributions
are gratefully accepted and noone is denied for inability to
contribute.
Steve (26:34):
Spotlight on Care is produced by the University of
California Irvine, Institute onMemory Impairments and
Neurological Disorders, UCIMIND. Interviews focus on
personal caregiving journeys andmay not represent the views of
UCI MIND. Individuals concernedabout cognitive disorders,
prevention or treatment, shouldseek expert diagnosis and care.
(26:56):
Please subscribe to theSpotlight on Care podcast
wherever you listen. For moreinformation, visit mind.uci.edu
From the University of California, Irvine, this is UCI
MIND's, Spotlight on Care, thepodcast where we share stories,
experiences, tips and advice oncaring for loved ones affected
by Alzheimer's and otherdementias.
Hello, everybody. Welcome toanother session of Spotlight on
Care. We're very excited todaybecause we have UCI MIND's, one
(00:29):
of their major partners with us,the Caregiver Resource Center,
and it's a statewideorganization but we're going to
be talking to two ladies todayfrom Orange County location,
which is in Fullerton. Let meintroduce our two guests. We
have Diana Marquez Siemers andshe is the direct care clinical
supervisor at the CaregiverResource Center. She was hired
(00:51):
in 2017 and will be working oneight years coming up pretty
soon. She's been in the fielddelivering programs serving
families, caregivers, disabledadults, and other adults for
about 30 years. She's also afamily caregiver herself, for
her mother with Alzheimer'sdisease, so she's got her own
personal experience to dwell on.
Her mother was diagnosed twoyears ago and she's working at
(01:13):
the agency and serving familycaregivers and being a family
caregiver gives her the helpthat she needs and allows her to
operate in an even differentbetter level. In addition to
Diana, we have Rachel. So RachelSmyth is a licensed clinical
social worker and has workedwith older adults and caregivers
(01:34):
for nearly 10 years. Rachelworks at the Caregiver Resource
Center, and is their educationcoordinator and family
consultant, which means that sheworks with caregivers all the
time, as does Diana. Rachelholds a Master's degree in
social work and a lot of thepeople that are at Caregiver
Resource Center have social workdegrees -many Masters- and she
was currently awarded the Valuesand Action Recipient at
(01:56):
Providence St. Jude Center.
Rachel believes that each of uscan make a difference in someone
else's life and finds joy inserving others. And she's also a
caregiver, or has been for hergrandmother, who was diagnosed
with vascular dementia 10 yearsago. So welcome, ladies.
Rachel (02:14):
Thank you. Happy to be here. Oh, sorry, Diana, very
happy to be here.
Diana (02:18):
Thanks having us here today, Steve.
Steve (02:20):
Well, as I told you, ladies, both times that we've
met, so excited to find thisentity because, you know, one of
my focuses, of course is oncaregivers, an underserved
community. Anything you'd liketo add, Virginia?
Virginia (02:32):
Well, I'm happy to be here with you two. And I'm going
to find this very interesting.
When my mom was first diagnosedwith Alzheimer's, I just felt
like I was in the dark. And Iwould have really loved to have
had an organization like yoursto go to. So I don't know much,
but I'll listen a lot today.
Steve (02:51):
You do know a lot about caregiving. Okay, well, let's
talk a little bit about a briefdescription of the organization
and its mission.
Rachel (02:58):
Sure, absolutely. So I'll go ahead and talk about
that, Steve. So CaregiverResource Center, Orange County,
we're a trusted partner forOrange County families who are
coping with the physical,emotional, financial
responsibilities that come alongwith caregiving. And we provide
individualized supportiveservices to families, and we are
the only Orange county agencythat focuses exclusively on the
(03:20):
needs of caregivers. We providefamily consultation, we have
support groups, assessment andcare planning, counseling,
respite planning, and communityeducation. And our mission at
the Caregiver Resource Center isto increase the quality of life
of caregivers by helpingfamilies and communities master
the challenges of caregiving.
And we've been around since1988, so this is our 36th year.
Steve (03:43):
Wow, and I just found them, a couple of years ago.
Rachel (03:47):
We get that a lot, that we're the best kept secret. But
we don't want to be, we want tobe the best, but not a secret.
Steve (03:52):
You need somebody with a marketing background. I don't
know anybody like that.
Rachel (03:56):
We do.
Steve (03:57):
So are you aware of any other organizations like yours
that operate in other states?
Diana (04:03):
Yes, there's, you know, each state like here in
California, we have theCalifornia Department of Aging.
And this Caregiver ResourceCenter is statewide: here in
California, there are 11 and weare one of the 11. But in other
states, I recommend that youlook at your State Department of
Aging website, and that willdirect you to different
(04:24):
providers or contractors, eachstate runs a little differently.
Contacting the local area agencyon aging, where you live will
also provide you with theresources you need. So, states
may have different names, theymay call it aging and disability
or many states also have manycounty--in fact there's 622
local area agencies on aging inthe United States. So, each
(04:46):
state does have some form ofsupport to families who care for
loved ones with a cognitiveimpairment or I was also
researching there's a lot ofprograms also for children who
are disabled. So, I encourageyou to look up your State
Department of Aging and the AreaAgency on Aging.
Steve (05:03):
Great Diana, that's good to know. I mean, I think this is
a special organization, but it'sgood to know that other states
are doing similar kinds ofthings.
Rachel (05:11):
So recently, I was in the process of completing a
Dementia Care Specialistcertification. And in that
training -which was from JohnsHopkins University- California
is actually referenced as one ofthe states with the most
comprehensive services forcaregivers and Caregiver
Resource Center statewide systemwas actually discussed during
that training. So I thought thatwas really neat to see that
(05:33):
California seems to be kind ofleading the way in providing
services to caregivers.
Virginia (05:38):
Oh, that's excellent.
Steve (05:39):
So this is an organization that isn't just
dedicated to Alzheimer's ordementia patients, it has the
ability to serve many otherkinds of caregivers who are
dealing with other kinds ofdiseases and so on with their
loved ones. But, how many ofyour clients are dealing with
dementia and Alzheimer's here inSouthern California, Orange
Rachel (05:59):
Like you mentioned, we do serve all caregivers. So,
County?
there are many other chronicillnesses and diagnoses that our
caregivers are providing care totheir loved one. But for us,
it's about 60% of our currentfamily caregivers are caring for
someone who has some type ofcognitive impairment. And when I
was looking into that, that'sjust who has already received an
(06:21):
official diagnosis. So I'm surethat number is actually a bit
higher, because a lot of peoplecome to us feeling lost not
knowing where to start, nothaving a diagnosis, but knowing
that there's something differentabout their loved one. And
they're just trying to navigatethis complex medical system and
figure out how to receive thatdiagnosis, so that they can
provide the best type of careand really understand what's
(06:42):
going on with their loved one.
But it's about 60%. But I have afeeling it's actually a little
bit higher than that.
Diana (06:47):
I totally agree, Rachel.
In my personal experience, eventhough my mother was formally
diagnosed two years ago, Isuspect she had symptoms like
maybe five, six years prior tothe diagnosis and I did not put
two and two together, it was avery gradual. But because I was
a sibling who had more contactwith her -more frequency- I
(07:08):
picked up on the subtleties. AndI would share that with my
sisters. But it took many yearsbefore it got to the point where
"Yeah, something's wrong withmom."
Steve (07:18):
And that is the case, way too often, unfortunately,
finding out about this diseasesooner, any form of dementia
sooner is is really, especiallywith some of the changes or
evolution that's going on withthe care of this disease. What
if you had to name a couple ofmajor challenges that caregivers
are facing in dealing with theirloved ones with dementia? What
(07:39):
would you say?
Diana (07:40):
Well, I would say financial challenges because the
cost of caregiving is very high,and finding the right person to
take care of your loved one,it's not easy. We went through
many, many, many caregivers. Andthat was very frustrating and
stressful, and also the stressof family not understanding the
disease. I think for me,personally, that was very
(08:01):
frustrating and treating mom asif nothing was wrong, and that
compromised my mother's qualityof life.
Virginia (08:07):
I think a lot of times the siblings will say
just getting older. What do youexpect?"
Diana (08:12):
I got that very often.
And as well as (08:12):
"She looks great, there's nothing wrong
with her" was probably one ofthe things that-- it still
happens, but not as often.
Steve (08:22):
Would you add anything to that, Rachel?
Rachel (08:24):
Oh yes, I literally came with a whole list of challenges.
Steve (08:28):
Well we only have a limited time.
Rachel (08:29):
I know, I know. I'll keep it short. For challenges
that dementia caregivers aredealing with, oftentimes,
there's a lot of behavioralissues that we're just not
understanding that behavior iscommunication. Just that lack of
information, training awarenessof what the disease really
entails and what can be expected-communication challenges,
difficulty figuring out whatlong term care is going to look
(08:50):
like- as Diana mentioned,financial stressors, and there's
a lot of grief that's going onfor a family caregiver whose
loved one has dementia or adifferent cognitive issue. But
it's hard enough to be a person,you know, and manage all the
things that we all have to
manage (09:08):
our taxes, our car registration, our own doctor's
appointments. And then acaregiver is doing that, but
they're also living an entiresecond life for someone else.
And so that in and of itself isjust a huge challenge. It's time
money, emotions, there's just somuch that goes into this.
Steve (09:25):
That's great. I wanted to ask you what the keys are to
caregiving from your experienceand having been in this field a
few years myself now, I keepremembering that the caregiver
needs to remember they need totake care of themself first.
Because well, not necessarilyfirst, but they need to be aware
of that. And would you agreewith that, and what would you
add that you think is somethingthat you would tell a caregiver:
(09:48):
"Hey, these are the things,these are the three things you
need to worry about."
Diana (09:51):
You hit it right on the nail. Self care, and that's
something it takes practice andskill because I'm still working
on it. When you have no choice,in other words -when you're
caring for someone- you areresponsible for their welfare
and safety. So taking a break,whether it be stepping outside
or trying to prevent isolationis important, and connecting
(10:15):
with others. Sometimes it maynot be family, it could be your
friends or other people, peers.
So the key is really abouttaking care of your emotional
needs, your physical needs,following up on your
preventative care, not neglectyour health, because it will
compromise you in the end. Ithink I've experienced some of
that because I neglected myself,so I'm back on track.
Steve (10:38):
Good for you, good for you. Rachel, is there anything
you would say to the caregiver,you know, like a word or two
that they need to keep up a mindwhen in their caregiving role?
Diana (10:47):
You cannot do it all, you are only one person. So it's
important that we getcomfortable with asking for help
and accepting help, really whatI would say.
Steve (10:57):
Very good. You know, one of the things that I was
particularly impressed with whenwe first met a few years back
was this whole idea of a careplan, because that comes up in
conversation a lot when I'vetalked to caregivers. It's like:
"Ah, what's the plan here? Iwish I had something to work
with or understand." So you guysdo that. And I think it would be
(11:19):
helpful if you talked about thesteps in creating a care plan.
Rachel (11:23):
Sure. So a care plan is part of our program that we do
with every family caregiverwho's connected with us. And a
care plan, to me is a livingdocument in that it's constantly
changing. It's being updated,it's being worked on and really
designed to meet the caregiversneeds and their unique
caregiving situation. The waythat we come up with this care
(11:43):
plan is by doing a verycomprehensive assessment with
the family caregiver. Theassessment that we do together,
which can be in person, it canbe in the caregivers home, it
can be on Zoom, it can be byphone, it's really whatever
works for the caregiver. We'rereally here to try to make
things easier and lessstressful, not more. I think
caregivers have enough stress ontheir plates as it is. But the
(12:04):
assessment that we do that helpsus develop this care plan is
comprised of a number ofdifferent areas. One of which is
talking about what kind ofdirect care they're providing
with the activities of dailyliving and medical tasks, health
care utilization, memory,behavioral issues, technology,
we're talking about care plansrelated to health, legal
(12:27):
financial issues, we talkedabout placement. We're also
really emphasizing aconversation about self care.
What does that look like for thecaregiver? How are they taking
care of themselves, their ownhealth care utilization. We also
talked about caregiver burden,depression, we explore other
ways of coping that maybe aren'tthe most healthy, that can be
hard for caregivers to talkabout, like substance use and
(12:50):
suicidality, we talk aboutloneliness, we talk about all
these different areas of acaregivers life, so that we can
then collaborate with thatcaregiver to figure out what it
is that they're really needingsupport with. And that's how we
develop that care plan. Andsometimes we might have an idea
of what we think the care planshould be right? But the
caregiver is the expert. And sowe work very collaboratively
(13:15):
with them to determine what itis they need. And then we break
down that care plan into a goal,but then also steps to get to
that goal. So that's really howwe develop it and what it looks
like. And then Diana, I'm notsure if there's anything else
that you'd like to add about thecare plan.
Diana (13:31):
Basically, the assessment she just talked about, we're
looking at the big picture,we're looking at all the
different components in ourcomprehensive assessment tool.
It's the foundation for we callit the Caregiver Action Plan. So
assessment is where we look atwhere the caregiver is at, at
that point in time. And then wecollapse what the concerns are,
(13:52):
what are the interventions? Whatis the goal? So it's three
different things, but it'sclient centered. Wherever
they're at in their journey,that's where we start.
Virginia (14:02):
So they probably don't know, many times what the
roadblocks are going to be. Andtheir challenges, because it's
new to them. It was to me,right? And I couldn't have done
a care plan on my own. That'sfor sure.
Steve (14:17):
Yeah, I think it sounds incredibly comprehensive. I
heard you say that before, butnow it's on the air and we
understand it.
Diana (14:23):
Right it is very comprehensive.
Steve (14:25):
One of the things you mentioned is updating. So this
plan gets created, but what'sthe frequency of contact or, you
know, the execution process?
Rachel (14:36):
Sure. So at an absolute minimum, we're doing a
reassessment of that originalmeeting with our caregivers
every six months at an absoluteminimum, but there is so much
contact in between. And like Imentioned, this is a living
document and as goals getaccomplished, as we make
progress, that gets changed andso it really depends on the
(14:59):
needs of of the caregiver. Somepeople, it's you know, they're
managing okay right now and sothey don't really necessarily
need more than every six months.
Other caregivers, as we allknow, with caregiving, there's
peaks and valleys and crisescome up and things get very
intense. And so in those times,we might be having multiple
contacts in a week with acaregiver. And so it really
depends on the situation andwhat their needs are.
Steve (15:21):
So there's no limit.
Rachel (15:22):
There's no limit. And people can join as many groups
as they want, they canparticipate in as many classes
as they want. So really, theyget familiar with a lot of our
team members. They have aspecific family consultant, who
is a Master's level socialworker, who's their go to
person, but they also have theirsupport group facilitator, that
person who does the classes. Andso they get really connected
(15:42):
with a lot of support.
Steve (15:44):
That's terrific, I hope you are understanding how
valuable this organization is.
How have you seen a care planhelp a caregiver on a practical
level, and maybe on an emotionallevel?
Diana (15:56):
I can share one client that I had followed for a little
while. He's no longer with us,his partner passed, but his
example would be, you know, amale caring for his best friend,
a female, she was much older.
But they were both single, therewas no children involved. It was
just them two. They had familyout of the country. So he came
to us through a friend who hadheard about us and his partner
(16:20):
hadn't had any formal diagnosis.
But he was just a littlefrustrated that she wasn't
listening to him. And she keptleaving the stove on and
sometimes she would just, youknow, leave the house and
neighbors would bring her home.
And they lived in a verycohesive complex. So his care
plan was essentially firsteducating and talking about
(16:42):
safety. That's a hallmark. Ifthere's any safety concerns,
that's what we talk about rightaway even in a new client, we
may call them very often, orcheck in to make sure that
there's preventative measures toavoid you know, mishaps. So the
practical advice was (16:57):
"Okay, let me teach you about this and
connect with the doctor, youneed to make an appointment..."
So I literally had to like: "Okay, do this first, do this (17:04):
undefined
second, when's the appointment,share your concerns..." I was
able to get a medical IDbracelet, indicating that she
has some tendencies of wanderingand a phone number. So that was
very practical. And thenemotional support, he was very
lonely, because he was findinghimself spending more time with
her and he became isolated. Sothe next step was okay, let's
(17:26):
look into a daycare center. AndI helped coordinate-- that was
case management. In other words,I taught him what exists and
what possibly would help him andhis partner, so she can get
stimulated; she was just bored,he didn't know how to manage
her. So that transpired, he madethe appointment, things fell
into place. She startedattending daycare, and that
allowed him time to meet up withfriends and pockets of time
(17:47):
where he can just not be aroundher because he said she was
driving him crazy.
Steve (17:54):
Did he ever tell you how he felt as a result of the help?
Diana (17:56):
Well, he was very grateful, because I saw him at a
retreat that we had sponsoredand he was very grateful. And he
said, that's the first time thathe's ever met so many caregivers
in his life, he thought he wasalone. So I think it opened up a
paradigm for him that he was notalone and he was very grateful.
It sounds very simple, but hejust didn't know.
Steve (18:14):
Rachel? Do you have a story to tell? I have a feeling
you might.
Rachel (18:17):
Well I have many, many stories. I mean, it's been such
an incredible place to be a partof, both as someone who's
serving caregivers, but also ina caregiving role. But less of a
specific story, but the way thata care plan helps a caregiver in
more practical ways, to me, is Imean, I've never spoken with a
caregiver who hasn't experiencedstress or isn't experiencing
(18:41):
stress, feeling overwhelmed,feeling just lost, not knowing
what to do. And when you'rereally stressed out, and you're
just under this immensepressure. It's hard to remember
things, it's hard to thinkclearly, it's hard to focus. And
so having something that isconcrete that you can look at,
refer to when you're feelinglike: "Okay, what am I supposed
to be doing? What kind of helpam I trying to get in place?"
(19:04):
Having something that's simpleand written down that you can
look at can be a really helpfultool. And then not only being
able to look at the goal, but wealso break it down into what
steps. You know if (19:12):
"Okay, start to explore Medi-cal. Well, what
is that going to look like? Stepone, look at this website, step
two..." and so we really breakit down, but more so the
emotional benefits of this careplan. Our care plan focuses on
the caregiver. And just eventhat emotional support can be a
literal lifesaver for ourcaregivers. And I think we all
know that depression and anxietyis extremely high amongst
(19:34):
caregivers. And so it really canbe a literal lifesaver, and
everything is always about ourloved one. And that is really,
really important. And I'm nomathematician, but if I
understand correctly, without acaregiver, there is no
caregiving. So it's so importantthat the caregiver does
prioritize themselves and theirwell being. And oftentimes, I
hear that just knowing that weexist that we're there when
(19:54):
someone needs something or theyknow: "Oh I can call Rachel, I
can call Diana. I can call mysupport group," is really,
really meaningful. And noteveryone understands what it's
like to be a caregiver. Sofinding somewhere that you can
share and feel understood, feelseen, be heard, is really,
really invaluable.
Steve (20:14):
And those were great stories. It just proves out the
point, I think you're alldealing with this idea of
caregivers being alone. Alone ona practical level, alone on an
emotional level, and a sensethat there is no one out there.
And I hear the same thing,support groups, one on one
conversations. I think we'regetting kind of close to time.
(20:34):
Okay, so I'm going to ask youguys though, a couple of other
questions. When shouldcaregivers contact the Caregiver
Resource Center? Is it coveredby sooner rather than later?
Diana (20:45):
For me, the sooner the better. Even if you're not a
caregiver yet, or you just wantto make an inquiry or you see:
"Hmm, I am observing somechanges with my in-laws or my
grandparents. And I'm wonderingwhat kind of resources are
available." You know, it's nevertoo early or never too late,
because people feel that it'stoo late to call and we get
those calls (21:06):
"Oh, I've been doing this for 25 years." And
they say (21:08):
"Oh, I wish I would have called." But that's okay.
So we'll start right there, andthen move forward with
supporting them through theirjourney. So as soon as possible
is preferable, because then youwill have the tools.
Steve (21:20):
I think that's true, not only of the caregiver
responsibility, but just theidea of identifying this
terrible disease and knowingabout what's coming is so, so
valuable. And we hear more andmore, get in, get the
evaluation, build the care plan,you will have a chance, and
really for the fear of the lovedone, they're trying to avoid it.
(21:42):
And this is an opportunity forthem. Do you guys do anything
that deals directly with theloved one in terms of
encouraging them in the process?
Diana (21:51):
Our client is a caregiver, but we're mindful of
who their loved one is and whattheir needs are, what their
deficits are. So in a sense,when we support the caregiver,
the care receiver benefitsbecause you can technically even
prevent abuse, if you'refrustrated, or you know, you're
at your wit's end. It's thetools that you need to have good
(22:11):
caregiving and preventing abuseand having quality caregiving.
And the more that the caregiveris empowered, the better the
care receiver will be in theirlong term care.
Steve (22:22):
So you're even able to kind of help the caregiver
understand how to help the carereceiver. I never heard that
term, how the value of doctor'svisits or evaluations are part
of the process. So that's someof the coaching you've given
them.
Diana (22:38):
Exactly.
Steve (22:39):
Okay. I think there's a lot of caregivers who are like,
like you said, Diana, I knowsomething's going wrong. I don't
know how to start, I don't knowwhere to go. That's a time to
call Caregiver Resource Center,because they'll help you figure
that out.
Diana (22:53):
Yes, absolutely.
Steve (22:55):
Okay, well, any final thoughts that you might have
about the whole idea ofcaregiving or caregivers or what
you do as an organization?
Diana (23:06):
Well, the final thought that I would like to leave to
our listeners is that, you arenot alone. It feels like you
are, but you're not. Becausecaregiving is a unique; looking
for your village, like who areyour village, seek out people,
you know, who bring value toyour life and to your role and,
and support. It can be neighborsfriends, but your village is
(23:26):
very important. We are part oftheir village. So in many cases,
we are the only people thatsupport them through their
journey and capitalize onsupport groups and classes,
because that's also verytherapeutic. Not only do you
learn, but you connect. Andthat's how you get valued.
Steve (23:42):
Oh, I couldn't agree more. Rachel, did you have
anything you wanted to add tothat wonderful comment?
Rachel (23:47):
Yes, hard to follow up after Diana. But I just want
those who are listening to knowthat, I mean, to me you as a
caregiver or doing the mostselfless thing that someone can
do, and that's caring forsomeone else who can't care for
themselves. Caregiving is oftenvery thankless, either our loved
one maybe doesn't want our help.
And so they're not very, youknow, expressive of gratitude.
Or maybe they're not capable ofexpressing that gratitude. And
(24:08):
this is just a really difficultjourney. And so those
difficulties of caregiving canmake it feel like every day is a
challenge. But a big part of whyI'm here is I really want
everyone to know that caregivingis also one of the most
beautiful and sacred spaces thatyou can hold with another
person. But it's really hard tosee that beauty and the joy of
it if we're not taking care ofourselves. If we're not taking
(24:30):
time to find our own joy,celebrating each and every win
no matter how small they are,resting and recharging and
accepting that caregivingincludes caring for ourselves.
Steve (24:42):
Aren't these ladies amazing?
Virginia (24:45):
I have somebody I'm going to give this recording to
real fast.
Diana (24:50):
Yes, please do.
Steve (24:51):
If some of our listeners were looking for a contact, just
Google Caregiver ResourceCenter, or because they may not
be just in Orange County, whatwould you recommend in terms of
contact?
Rachel (25:02):
Sure, people call us from outside the county all the
time. And that's okay. We'lljust get their information and
give them the correct CaregiverResource Center's information.
But if you're are looking tocontact us, you can go onto our
website, www.caregiveroc.org. Oryou can call us, our phone
number is 800-543-8312. Wealways have a social worker
(25:25):
assigned to the phones, so thatyou'll be able to connect with
someone. Whether you're lookingfor long term support and really
getting engaged with ourprogram, or if you're just
calling looking for a list ofadult day programs. Whatever it
is, I always say just call usand we're the best place to
start. And then we'll help youget connected to the other areas
that you're looking for.
Steve (25:45):
Terrific. I think that last line was exactly perfect.
Caregiver Resource Center. Thankyou ladies so much.
Virginia (25:55):
Thank you so much.
Steve (25:56):
We really appreciate it.
Diana (25:57):
Thank you.
Rachel (25:57):
Thank you both.
The materials or product were aresult of a project funded by a
contract with the CaliforniaDepartment of Aging, as
allocated by the Orange CountyBoard of Supervisors and
administered by the Office onaging. Supporting data is
available by contactingCaregiver Resource Center OC at
130 West Best and Terry Road inFullerton, 714-446-5030, and the
(26:19):
conclusions and opinionsexpressed may not be those of
the CDA and that the publicationmay not be based upon or
inclusive of all raw data.
Services are provided free ofcharge voluntary contributions
are gratefully accepted and noone is denied for inability to
contribute.
Steve (26:34):
Spotlight on Care is produced by the University of
California Irvine, Institute onMemory Impairments and
Neurological Disorders, UCIMIND. Interviews focus on
personal caregiving journeys andmay not represent the views of
UCI MIND. Individuals concernedabout cognitive disorders,
prevention or treatment, shouldseek expert diagnosis and care.
(26:56):
Please subscribe to theSpotlight on Care podcast
wherever you listen. For moreinformation, visit mind.uci.edu
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