CALMA and CUIDAR - CALMA (Cuidadores Acompañándose y Luchando para Mejorar y Seguir Adelante) and CUIDAR (Cuidadores Unidos Inspirados en Dar Amor)

Southern Caregiver Resource Center

San Diego, CA

The mission of Southern Caregiver Resource Center (SCRC) is to assist families and communities master the challenges of caring for adults with chronic and disabling conditions. Established in 1987 as a private nonprofit 501c3, SCRC is the leading provider of support services to family caregivers in San Diego and Imperial Counties. Over the years, the organization has helped thousands of families caring for their loved ones through information and referral, comprehensive caregiver assessments, short and long-term care planning and consultation, individualized short-term caregiver counseling, caregiver training, community education and outreach, professionally facilitated support groups and respite services through contract vendors. These are the services proven to help families remain healthy, employed and keep their loved ones safe. Services are provided by highly trained professional staff at no cost to clients, and are available in Spanish. SCRC and collaborating partners serve approximately 32,000 people annually. Website: www.caregivercenter.org

The program is designed to help reduce caregiver depression and burden, and improve caregiver coping skills and health of Spanish speaking Latino family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s and associated dementias (ADAD). The program’s overall goal is to provide a culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health intervention for Latino family caregivers. Latinos are the fastest growing population at greatest risk for developing ADAD, and Latino caregivers experience greater levels of distress when compared to other populations. Activities include translating the evidence-based REACH (Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregivers Health) intervention into a structure feasible to deliver in a social service setting; providing outreach through Promotoras; and providing psycho-educational interventions. The program reduces caregiver burden and depression, and increases ability to cope with care receiver memory and behavior problems.