Joining together to fight Alzheimer’s

AVIVA GOELMAN

Costa Mesa City Councilwoman Libby Cowan -- having recently lost her

mother-in-law to the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease -- convened a

late-March meeting of the Costa Mesa Senior Center and the Adult Day

Services of Orange County. Her mission? To forge a productive

partnership between these two community groups.

She was not alone in her effort. The staffs of both organizations

participated also. So did City Councilman Mike Scheafer, Costa Mesa

Senior Center Board President Del Heintz and Dr. Gwyn Parry, director

of community medicine at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian.

Cordula Dick-Muehlke, executive director of Adult Day Services and

a recognized expert in dementia care, shared my sentiment that

partnerships are win-win arrangements, and that they are better able

to meet the diverse and complex needs of seniors.

Memory loss tops the list of fears of both seniors and baby

boomers, Dick-Muehlke said. We forget a word, perhaps a name and

quietly wonder if it’s the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Fear,

however, is conquered by knowledge. And helping our seniors learn

about and understand the differences between normal aging and

Alzheimer’s disease is where Adult Day Services of Orange County

steps in.

A licensed adult day healthcare center, Adult Day Services of

Orange County specializes in the care of seniors with memory-related

disorders. Rebecca Ward, manager of community relations for Adult Day

Services of Orange County, recently wrapped up a 10-week series of

Memory Boosters classes at the Costa Mesa Senior Center. Thirty-five

of our seniors learned strategies to improve everyday memory skills

for recalling names, important appointments and the like. The program

was tremendously received. Our seniors shared that they had not only

learned a few tricks to remember names, but that they enjoyed the

class setting with their peers and eagerly looked forward to the next

class. As many said, “The group of was great!”

For 19 years, Rea Elementary School in Costa Mesa has been home to

Adult Day Services of Orange County. When the school reopened, the

organization moved to a new state-of-the-art facility in Huntington

Beach. The facility was built with the gracious support of Hoag

Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, and was designed specifically for

dementia care.

At the new center, decor from the early- to mid-1900s creates a

sense of familiarity and comfort. Covered walkways give participants

a protected place to walk. Spacious activity areas provide ample room

for music, crafts, and interactive games. In combination, the

center’s dementia friendly architectural design, a core of highly

trained staff and volunteers, and innovative programming create an

ideal care setting.

For Costa Mesa residents like Ed and his wife, Sarah, who suffers

from short-term memory loss, help is now right around the corner at

the Adult Day Services of Orange County’s new facility in Huntington

Beach. From early- to late-stage dementia, memory-impaired

individuals like Sarah benefit from recreational and social

programming, inter-generational activities, nursing and personal

care, rehabilitative and maintenance therapies to retain everyday

abilities, supportive counseling, care management and nutritional

guidance. In the meantime, caregivers like Ed experience the relief

of knowing that a loved one is being cared for in a safe, secure and

compassionate environment.

It’s important that readers are aware of the care available to

Alzheimer’s patients, and to highlight the activities the partnership

is planning for the benefit of our seniors. In the coming year, the

Costa Mesa Senior Center will offer quarterly workshops by

Dick-Muehlke about memory loss and related topics. The popular Memory

Boosters series will also return to the senior center. The Costa Mesa

Senior Center-Adult Day Services of Orange County partnership will be

working together to educate the community about the services in Costa

Mesa through the media and other educational efforts, including

presentations to employees at City Hall and local businesses.

For the 39% of employees who are trying to balance work with

caregivers, Adult Day Services of Orange County offers an affordable

option for care. Open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through

Friday, it frees employed caregivers from the worries of eldercare

during their work day. Adult Day Services of Orange County is making

a difference in the lives of seniors and their families. Together, we

hope to multiply these positive effects. For further information call

Maria at (714) 593-9630 or the senior center’s social worker, Charu

Moody, at (949) 645-2356, ext. 24.

Three other events are eagerly anticipated in the coming weeks.

The first is the recognition of the senior center’s volunteers. The

other provides an opportunity for the entire community to support the

senior center at a fascinating live auction.

Anyone wishing to enjoy ribs for lunch or dinner is welcome to

join us Wednesday at the Newport Rib Company, located at 2196 Harbor

Blvd., Costa Mesa (between Wilson and Victoria). From the hours of 10

a.m. to 9:30 p.m. take out will be available or if you prefer to dine

at the restaurant the hours are from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Please advise

your server that you are there to support the Costa Mesa Senior

Center and 20% of your entire bill will be donated to the center.

April is National Volunteer Month honoring those wonderful people

who, through their service, offer their friendship and love to

others. The board of directors and staff want to thank all the

volunteers for their generosity and for sharing themselves with

others in a way that always makes the world a little brighter. These

volunteers and their contributions are deeply appreciated by all of

us at the senior center.

I’m also looking forward to seeing the community at our annual

California Wine Event at the Automotive Road of Dreams Museum at

Orange County Fairgrounds on from 6 to 9 p.m. April 28. Please attend

and enjoy viewing the exhibits of antique, rare and classic cars.

Wine tasting will be offered by Martin Family Vineyards, Domaine

Chandon, BV Vineyards and Stimson Lane. The Edward Cole Trio will

provide jazz entertainment, and hors d’oeuvres and desserts will be

served. A live and silent auction will be held to benefit the senior

center. Admission is $25 per person, advanced purchase. Tickets at

the door are $35 per person. Please call the Costa Mesa Senior Center

at (949) 645-2356, ext. 16 or download a ticket order form at

https://www.automotive

roadofdreams.com.