Asian Pacific Islander Dementia Care NetworkThe Asian Pacific Islander Dementia Care Network in Los Angeles (API DCN) addresses gaps in the community-based continuum of care for API's by expanding culturally and linguistically competent services for caregivers and building the capacity of community-based partner agencies in Los Angeles. Asian Pacific Islander Dementia Care Network is a 2010 recipient of The Rosalinde Gilbert Innovations in Alzheimer's Disease Caregiving Legacy Award for the Diverse & Multicultural Communities category. Organization: Alzheimer's Association California Southland Chapter
The mission of the Alzheimer's Association, California Southland Chapter is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for diverse populations with dementia, their families and caregivers; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our overall goal is to meet the needs of an ethnically and culturally diverse population by developing and testing innovative models of service delivery for at-risk and under-served populations with Alzheimer's and related dementia.Location: Los Angeles, CA How does it work? The overall aim of the project is to enhance the capacity of a community-based network of health, aging and ethnic support service providers to better serve caregivers of older adults with dementia. The project seeks to address the specific needs of API caregivers in Los Angeles, California by building on community strengths and addressing gaps in the service continuum that have been identified through a needs assessment and community based asset mapping. Why is it successful? In July 2000, the API DCN first began targeting family caregivers of individuals with dementia (Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese communities in the Bay Area and L.A.). Four years later, the project's second cycle expanded to include Korean (Los Angeles) and Vietnamese (Orange County.) families. The current cycle (2009), expands efforts in the Chinese and Japanese communities and begins services for Filipinos in L.A. Through participating DCN agencies, caregivers receive culturally-appropriate assistance from Care Advocates, trained bi-lingual bi-cultural paraprofessionals, who provide support, education about the disease and how to care for the caregiver, service referrals, translation, and subsidized respite care referrals.
For more information: www.alz.org/californiasouthland | 
