James, a participant from our Adult Day Services in West Covina, is adjusting well to the new remote services and interactions with Easterseals.
He engages in one-to-one phone calls with his Life Skills Coach Nicole, who is one of his favorite ESSC associates. James also participates in a daily virtual group event using a tablet provided by Easterseals.
His family shared that, "James looks forward to these [virtual group event] classes. He wakes up and it is the first thing he talks about each day!"
James greets and welcomes peers into each online session. He has a great sense of humor and always keeps the conversations going.
Friday, June 21, 2024, 2:50 PM
Easterseals Southern California kicked off the summer of 2024 with plenty of activity, and the excit…
Easterseals Southern California said ‘goodbye’ to spring and ‘hello’ to summer with a wave of exciting events and activities! Take a look at some of the recent happenings across Easterseals and beyond.
A group of staff and participants gathered outside of the Van Nuys State Building.
On May 31, Easterseals was proud to rally in Van Nuys, CA alongside fellow advocates from throughout Southern California to remind California Governor Gavin Newsom of his promise to fund essential disability programming. The group gathered at the Van Nuys State Building with Easterseals associates and participants from our Adult Day Services sites in Glendale, Pacoima, and Van Nuys. Together, they stood strong against the proposed $1 billion budget cuts that threaten the disability community. Join us in this effort and make your voices heard by sending an email to legislative leaders today.
Easterseals employees gathered with community leaders who showed their support and joined us in celebrating this significant milestone with a ribbon cutting.
On Saturday, June 1, Easterseals Southern California celebrated the Grand Opening of our New Autism Therapy Center in Covina, CA. During the event, attendees enjoyed exciting booths, fun games, prizes, and delicious food and drinks. Our partners at Mattel were also in attendance to donate toys to children as part of their “Play it Forward” initiative. We are deeply grateful to the volunteers and community leaders who showed their support and joined us in celebrating this significant milestone.
From left to right, Andraea LaVant of LaVant Consulting, Vijay Ravindran of Floreo, Debbie Wishart of T-Mobile, and Nancy Weintraub of Easterseals SoCal
Easterseals Southern California was honored to contribute to a lively panel discussion during the Social Innovation Summit in early June. Chief Advancement Officer Nancy Weintraub and Easterseals consultant Andraea LaVant of LaVant Consulting sat on a panel titled “Innovative Tech for Building Inclusive Communities” along with our partners at T-Mobile and Floreo. It was an incredible time of growth, learning and building new partnerships in the disability community and beyond!
A group of volunteers and participants gathered for a photo at Easterseals Adult & Senior Day Services location in Brea, CA.
On June 5th, Rexford Industrial and their dedicated volunteers, joined by Interface and Delco Sales, transformed Easterseals Adult & Senior Day Services Center in Brea, CA. The day was filled with gardening, building wheelchair-accessible garden boxes, artistic endeavors, refreshing popsicles, and many fun games. Thank you to all the volunteers for bringing joy and making a lasting impact.
From left to right, panelists Emily Ladau, Sofiya Cheyenne, Rachel Handler, and Ryan J. Haddad.
Easterseals was proud to be a sponsor at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. On June 8th, we hosted a panel discussion titled “Big Wins and Benefits for Disability Inclusion and Workplace Culture” with panelists Rachel Handler, Ryan J. Haddad, Emily Ladau, and Sofiya Cheyenne. Each panelist shared insights on creating an inclusive film set experience, best practices for accessibility, and fostering a more inclusive workplace culture. This panel was followed by the Industry Cocktail Reception, which was co-hosted with Indeed.
The post Easterseals Endeavors: Recent Highlights and Happenings appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.
Monday, June 17, 2024, 3:14 PM
Easterseals Southern California is excited to expand our social media family by joining the TikTok u…
Here at Easterseals Southern California, we are excited to expand our social media family by joining the TikTok universe. With the continued growth and expansion of our organization, it’s important we reach a broader audience across multiple platforms and channels.
Joining TikTok allows us to share engaging, inspiring, and educational content with a wider community. We’ll be posting a variety of content, including stories of empowerment, behind-the-scenes looks at our events, tips on creating inclusive environments, and much more.
This initiative aligns with our mission of leading the way to full equity, inclusion and access by sharing content that aims to change minds and inspire action. By reaching more people, we can amplify our message and impact even further.
We invite you to follow us on our TikTok and be sure to like, comment, and share. Thank you so much for your support and enthusiasm as we embark on this exciting TikTok journey. Let’s make it amazing together!
Here’s a look at our Tik Tok content:
@eastersealssocal “You have a voice. Use your voice. Because if you don’t use your voice, who’s going to hear you?” – Betty, Easterseals advocate #DisabilityRights #SpeakUp #EastersealsSoCal #OurVoicesMatter ♬ original sound – EastersealsSoCal
The post Easterseals SoCal Joins TikTok: Expanding Our Reach and Sharing Inspiring Stories appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.
Thursday, May 23, 2024, 3:41 PM
In our Spring 2024 ESSC News update, learn all about the latest happenings at Easterseals Southern C…
Easterseals Southern California has had a busy start to 2024! In our latest ESSC News segment, hosts Marquis McCraw, Vice President of Talent Acquisition, and Mona Ramirez, Adult Day Services Coordinator, cover topics ranging from Easterseals financial updates and the opening of new centers, to participant success stories and new initiatives.
Take a look at what’s going on at Easterseals Southern California as we continue to lead the way to full equity, inclusion and access through disability and community services.
The post ESSC News: Spring 2024 Updates from Easterseals SoCal appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.
Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 4:28 PM
In recognition of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Easterseals employee Eriko Yamagas…
In recognition of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Easterseals employee Eriko Yamagashi, Regional Vice President of Autism Service’s Behavior Provider Network, shares her experience as a Japanese American.
Growing up in Japan, I was surrounded by a culture of respect, hard work, and the kind of innovation that touches every aspect of daily life. Values were ingrained in me from an early age, serving as my guiding principles even to this day.
The vibrant cities, lush landscapes, and the profound sense of community found in my homeland laid the foundation for who I am today. Japan taught me “Wa,” the art of balance—the delicate harmony between personal drive and collective responsibility.
When I moved to the United States, it felt like stepping onto a stage set for the grandest adventure of my life. It was overwhelming at first; here, amidst the vast landscapes and expansive horizons, I discovered a complementary set of values and an infectious optimism.
The American ethos of ambition and the belief that one can achieve anything with enough determination resonated with me. It was inspiring to find that my Japanese upbringing had unknowingly prepared me to appreciate and navigate the spirited American way of life.
My life in the United States has been a beautiful expansion of my identity, not a replacement. I’ve been able to build bridges between my Japanese roots and the American culture I’ve grown to love. California rolls, anyone?
In this fusion, I’ve found a greater sense of self and a deeper appreciation for the diverse experiences that shape our worldviews. Both countries have offered me incredible opportunities to learn, grow, and contribute in ways I never thought possible.
Moreover, being here at Easterseals Southern California, every day I have the privilege to touch the lives of so many people, cultures, and communities. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be here and will continue to be an ambassador of building bridges by sharing stories about my heritage.
The post Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Easterseals Employee Finds Balance in Her Adopted Country appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.
Thursday, April 25, 2024, 3:36 PM
In recognition of Older Americans Month this May, we sat down with Kathleen Kolenda, Easterseals Vic…
In recognition of Older Americans Month this May, we sat down with Kathleen Kolenda, Easterseals Vice President of Adult Day Services, who shares how Easterseals Senior Day Services is positively transforming the cognitive, emotional and physical well-being of the older adults we serve. Kathleen demonstrates how the theme for this year’s Older Americans Month, “Powered by Connection,” aligns closely with our goals and outcomes.
As seniors age and begin to need more support during the day, many family caregivers turn to Senior Day Services as an affordable and more engaging alternative to assisted living, memory care, or home care.
At Easterseals Southern California, our Senior Day Services (SDS) program takes place in community center settings in Brea, CA and Redondo Beach, CA. Here, seniors gather during the day for socialization, friendship, meaningful activities, exercise, community outings, entertainment, meals, and extra support or supervision.
Many caregivers choose SDS because it is affordable, provides their parent or loved one with socialization and belonging, and offers a time of respite (a short-term break) for the caregiver.
The power of connection is evident each day with seniors attending to be with their friends and enjoy each other’s company. Seniors are specific about why they attend senior day services, and overwhelmingly it is because they want to be with their friends.
We know many seniors face loneliness and isolation regardless of where and with whom they live. Senior Day Services are a remedy to loneliness and isolation.
Easterseals SDS are designed for individuals who are 60 years of age or older with memory loss or physical disabilities. Individuals using this service may require support and assistance with personal care or other daily living activities.
While there are many benefits of SDS, the most notable are socialization and a sense of belonging.
The socialization is priceless for stabilizing the senior and engaging them in positive experiences while combatting loneliness and isolation. Simply getting ready for the day and getting out of the house reinforces engagement.
Some of the other benefits are that it creates routine, structure and the opportunity to focus on an individual’s strengths. Activities are offered and developed in a person-centered way so that individuals can experience success and be motivated to improve and expand their experiences.
Most of the seniors who use SDS live with their family members. The family members, or caregivers, may be adult children or spouses who are employed and need the support of SDS so they can continue to keep their work commitments. There are also family caregivers who use SDS part-time to get respite from their caregiving duties.
Senior Day Services also makes it possible for older adults to live in their homes as long as possible, as opposed to moving to an assisted living location or memory care, which can be an incredibly expensive burden for families. With the support of SDS, families can avoid or delay institutional placement and honor their loved ones wishes to stay at home.
Intergenerational services officially launched at our Brea, CA location in February 2024. Preschoolers from the on-site neighboring day care join the seniors for structured activities throughout the day. The seniors and preschoolers get together for a morning walk each day, and other activities might include crafts, baking or dancing. All of these opportunities enrich the experiences for the seniors and provide unique learning opportunities for the children.
Reportedly, seniors experience increased longevity and some stabilization of debilitating health conditions, both cognitive and physical. Overall, the psychological benefits of engagement and connection outweigh the physical and cognitive challenges the senior experiences. Families also report renewed sense of purpose that fuels their loved one’s interest in attending SDS.
Additionally, the Refresh Life Re-Energized evidence-based exercise curriculum has afforded seniors increased strength, balance, dexterity, range of motion and confidence in physical activity (according to data reported to CVS, who sponsored this curriculum development).
Yes! Both of our Senior Day Services locations in Redondo Beach, CA and Brea, CA are actively enrolling new seniors into our program. To learn more about the program to see if it’s a good fit for you or your loved one, visit our website.
We asked several Senior Day Services participants what they think about the program and how it has impacted their life.
Linda A.
“I like to help people at the program. This is my favorite spot. I’m much happier here than sitting at home. I have good friends here.”
Barbara V.
“I have a lot of friends here. I enjoy the activities like painting and Karaoke. I have lots of fun and it gives me something to do and be active.”
Bonnie L.
“I enjoy the program. I like the activities. I like having friends, coaches, and the people and not being bored at home.”
Joe W.
“My program closed and I can do more here than before. I like the knitting and painting. I am happy here.”
Elsa R.
“I like being here because I get bored at home and I like the art classes. I also like keeping busy and helping out.”
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Visit our website to learn more about Easterseals Senior Day Services program and to see if it is the right fit for you or a loved one.
The post Powered By Connection: How Easterseals Senior Day Services Fosters Belonging appeared first on Easterseals Southern California Blog.
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