Alzheimer’s OC and Somang Society join forces in fighting dementia

Alzheimer’s Orange County (AlzOC) and Somang Society have come together to serve Orange County’s Korean-speaking community impacted by Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.

This collaboration is in response to funding from the Alzheimer’s Disease Program Initiative (ADPI) grant from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) that was awarded to Alzheimer’s OC.

“We chose to focus the grant funded initiative on Leisure World in Seal Beach (LWSB) for a few key reasons,” said AlzOC’s Vice President of Memory Support Services Mark Odom.

LWSB has very limited social services for its 10,000 residents, and a significant percentage of people with Korean heritage. This initiative will create a positive impact for many people while also taking into consideration cultural context.

Somang Society will provide outreach, education and services to the Korean American individuals and families living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This project will apply the Care Team Navigator Model for dementia care to:

• Address the safety and unmet needs of English and Korean speaking residents with dementia living alone.

• Providethemwiththebehavioralsymptommanagementtraining and expert consultation services.

ALZHEIMER'S, page 11 This partnership promises a twofold impact. Firstly, within the LWSB community, Somang’s participation will ensure that the grant’s reach is culturally and linguistically appropriate. Secondly, Somang Society can extrapolate the knowledge gained from this project to other communities they serve, benefiting a broader spectrum of Korean Americans.

This collaboration represents a significant step towards building inclusive and supportive communities for people and their families affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

—www.alz.org