New AltaMed East Los Angeles Adult Day Health Care Center Opening Provides Critical Resource For Latino Community
Los Angeles, CA - AltaMed Health Services and community leaders recently celebrated the Grand Opening of its Adult Day Health Care (ADHC) center located in East Los Angeles, further establishing the success and benefits ADHC's provide to the community.
The ADHC is designed to offer support to adults 18 years and older through health programs and services that will maintain or enhance their medical, functional or mental status. The programs and services offered by ADHC include transportation to and from the ADHC, nursing care, individual counseling, physical, occupational and speech therapy, recreational activities, emotional support for caregivers, health education classes and community resources. With the Latino elderly population expected to increase 328% by 2030, the demand for this type of facility will continue to grow.
"Our approach to health care is patient centered, which means we put the patient and their families in the center of our care team of motivated and dedicated professionals," said Castulo de la Rocha, President and CEO of AltaMed Health Services. "We have designed the East Los Angeles ADHC to meet the specific needs of Latino patients and their families who prefer to keep loved ones in the home rather than placing them in long-term care facilities."
The new ADHC is focused on promoting independence for its participants, an important aspect to the well being of the adult and family caregivers. The most recent research on Latino family caregivers (Family Caregivers ofImpoverished Mexican American Elderly Women: The Perceived Impact of Adult Day Health Care Centers -- Albert A. Valadez, Christine Lumadue, Bibiana Gutierrez, Sabina de Vries-Kell) confirms what AltaMed's ADHC centers have long known and experienced in their community -- an inclusive Adult Day Health Care center provides benefits not only for those who use them but for family caregivers as well.
"AltaMed is one of the Nation's leaders in providing culturally appropriate health care services to underserved populations," said Assemblyman Charles M. Calderon. "This new ADHC answers a critical need within this community and provides families and caregivers with a wonderful resource to provide quality care for parents and other family members in order to maintain balance in their own lives. I am pleased the State of California continues to demonstrate its commitment to funding Adult Day Health Care Centers."
Research suggests the responsibility of taking care of a family member can cause family caregivers to experience mild depression, stress, loss of morale, feelings of guilt, frustration, irritation and in rare cases resentment toward the adult in care. In turn, the adult in care can feel depressed and begin to isolate himself/herself from their environment. Community-based long term care services, such as AltaMed's ADHC centers, enable adults to reach their maximum potential of independence and provide family caregivers with the support they need to continue providing their family with a healthy lifestyle and non-institutional environment.
"I look forward to seeing the AltaMed bus at my door in the morning, the center is a place where I can sit and talk with friends, exercise and even play games," said Pedro Valle, a patient at the East Los Angeles ADHC.He continued, "my children don't have to worry about me while they are at work because the staff at the center takes good care of us."
The new AltaMed East Los Angeles Adult Day Health Care Center is located at 6210 Whittier Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90022 and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday thru Friday.
The services offered by ADHC's are available free of cost to individuals enrolled in Medi-Cal or Private Pay for non-Medi-Cal beneficiaries. For more information on AltaMed Services please call (877) 462-2582.
SOURCE: AltaMed Health Services Corporation