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| Press Release (7 March 2005) |
"Living a Healthy Life" Program for Latino Elderly
In the San Gabriel Region of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles
San Gabriel Region of Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc. recently received a $50,000 grant from The David R. Carpenter Initiative: Advancing Healthy Aging to fund the Living a Healthy Life Program for frail elderly and their caregivers in poor Latino families living in the San Gabriel Valley. During the course of one year, the program will educate approximately two hundred older adults and caregivers about caring for their health. It will also provide the necessary educational and emotional support, as well as access to resources to meet their health needs. The clients are being identified and recruited primarily through the agency’s two food distribution programs in the San Gabriel Region, located in East Los Angeles and in El Monte. Living a Healthy Life Program expands current efforts of Catholic Charities and its health partners, namely Citrus Valley Health Partners and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, by offering culturally-sensitive services to older adults in the Latino community. The program has three major components: ten workshops on Tomando Control de Su Salud /Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions (based on a book of the same title); educational, emotional and/or recreational support groups for elderly and caregivers; and coordination of needed health resources. A bilingual Client Resources Coordinator assists the elderly care recipients and caregivers in identifying resources available in the community to meet their special needs. At the outset of the program, four employees of Catholic Charities' San Gabriel Region have trained to become Spanish class facilitators for the Living a Healthy Life. The first senior group class has commenced their meetings on Monday, March 7, 2005, at the San Juan Diego Center in El Monte.  Established in 1919, Catholic Charities of Los Angeles, Inc., has been one of the largest social service agencies in Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, serving millions of people during the 86 years of its existence. All services are available to residents of the three counties, regardless of their race, ethnicity, income, gender or religious belief. During fiscal year 2003-2004, the agency provided about 1,286,000 services to 243,994 different individuals in more than 50 offices and community centers. People in need come to Catholic Charities for emergency food and shelter, low-cost before-and-after-school childcare, immigration and refugee assistance, psychological services, computer and jobs skills training, and other supportive services. Poverty doesn't discriminate. How could Catholic Charities? If you would like to receive more information about the program's progress and impact please contact Mary Romero, Director, San Gabriel Region, Catholic Charities Los Angeles, at (323) 266-3130. |