Alzheimer’s San Diego address the challenges of living and caring for a loved one with dementia through free classes, support groups, and resources for the Latino community. In tandem with Hispanic Heritage Month Alzheimer’s SD is recognizing the stigma that is often a barrier to ensuring the best treatment and care, with the aim to provide Latino families with culturally competent, bilingual service, support options, free educational workshops, private consultations, and other important resources.
Eugenia Welch, president and CEO at Alzheimer’s San Diego said it is important for people in San Diego to know that all the nonprofit’s services are free to all people. She said individuals, loved ones, and caretakers can obtain services without a referral from a physician, medical insurance, or a diagnosis.
“Alzheimer’s San Diego is the only independent organization in San Diego committed to providing tailored, immediate support to those affected by dementia and their caregivers within our community. Because we’re a local nonprofit, we’re able to adapt our programs to meet the unique and evolving needs of our diverse populations here in the County,” she said.
Welch said ASD focuses only on residents of San Diego County, and the results of that is twofold.
“When you call in to talk with someone from our office, you are speaking to people who live in the same community that you are. If someone calls and says they need help for someone in La Mesa, our staff knows who direct them to. The other thing great about that is that all the money that we raise stays in San Diego County,” she said.
According to the Center for Disease Control, Hispanics are among the minority groups more likely to see the largest increase in Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias in the coming years. An estimated 5.8 million people live with dementia in the United States right now, that number is projected to more than double to 14 million by 2060, with Hispanics being impacted seven-fold. In San Diego County alone, it is estimated that there will be a 196% increase from 2019 to 2040 in the number of Latinos over the age of 65 with dementia.
Welch said the stigma around dementia in the Latino community stops individuals from seeking medical help, and even when they do, they would not mention memory issues because there is so much concern because of the stigma that surrounds it.
“Stigma is everywhere sadly, but Alzheimer’s is still looked at as a mental illness, and there is so much stigma around mental illness, that it carries over into this,” she said. “What really makes this difficult, is the best chance families have to get a good plan in place and prepare for what is coming down the road, is to get support early in the disease process. Because people do not want to talk about it in the early stages, they are not able to access that early support and resources. Another thing we here, is when people tell family and friends about their memory, people treat them differently, and people do not want that to happen to them.
Welch said along with the stigma, Hispanics historically have less access to medical care.
“Access to medical care is a huge issue in being able to get in to see the appropriate people. We are hearing that here in San Diego County, there is a three to six month wait to see a neurology specialist,” she said.
In a large study from the California Department of Health, it took Hispanic Americans 40% longer to be diagnosed, showing that they were less likely to be referred for neuropsychological testing. Marginalized populations can also have lower rates of prescriptions for anti-dementia medications. Additionally, only 44% of Hispanics with self-reported cognitive decline said they would discuss their symptoms with a healthcare professional, and 39% of those with subjective cognitive decline have experienced one or more barriers to access health care services.
Alzheimer’s SD offers all its programming in both English and Spanish.
