LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Board of Directors of the Alzheimer’s Association, California Southland Chapter announced today its decision to separate from the national Alzheimer’s Association, creating Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles (ALZGLA), serving Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The announcement by Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles formalizes the decision by its Board on December 16, 2015.
“As an organization separate from a national entity, Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles will be able to expand upon our ability to provide client centered, innovative and responsive programs and services that directly meet the needs of our communities,” said Susan Galeas, president and CEO of Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles. “We look forward to a more nimble and creative future that fully encompasses our mission and focuses on care, inspiration and hope. With 100 percent of funding staying local, we will be better able to do more in every area.”
The move to separate came after the National Alzheimer’s Association’s board of directors voted this past October to consolidate all local chapters into a single entity controlled from its Chicago headquarters. With the decision to separate, 100 percent of all money raised by Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles will stay local for care and support, advocacy, and research. Prior to the separation, 40 percent of unrestricted donations were sent to the national organization. As a separate organization, there will be greater freedom to partner with major local, national and international cause-related nonprofits, funders and businesses.
“The ability to retain all donated funds and make program decisions that are relevant to the diverse Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside populations were driving factors in our decision to separate from the national organization,” said Mark Liberman, Board Chair of Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles. “Our Board and Executive staff believe that the growing needs of the communities we serve are best met by separating, rather than consolidating into a single nationally directed group, headquartered far from the individuals and families we have been serving for more than three decades.”
The decision by the California Southland Chapter’s board follows similar decisions made by other large chapters, including New York City, New Jersey, San Diego and Orange County.
More than 10 percent of Americans (almost 600,000 people) living with Alzheimer’s or another dementia and their caregivers are in California. More than one third, or 200,000, of Californians impacted by Alzheimer’s are in Los Angeles County alone. In the greater Los Angeles area, the number of individuals affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias (more than 275,000) is growing at an alarming rate, and the challenges facing this community are becoming even more complex. Free programs and services reach the Latino, African American, Japanese, Chinese and Armenian communities, among others, over a vast geographical area, with language appropriate and culturally relevant/sensitive materials, resources and staff.
“We want to assure the communities we serve that there will be no disruption of service,” said Debra Cherry, Executive Vice President, Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles. ”We will remain acutely focused and committed to the care of all those who rely on our programs, and we will not lose a step in advocating on behalf of the cause or in funding cutting edge research.”
In its new formation, ALZGLA will continue its 35-year history of serving as a leading force in Alzheimer’s and dementia care, advocacy and research. The experts in Los Angeles and surrounding counties pioneered many of the programs, support groups, and educational materials now offered across the country. Services provided by ALZGLA include:
- 173 support groups in six different languages
- 3,000 family care consultations helping caregivers and families navigate the challenges of an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis
- Community outreach & education to hundreds of thousands of people, with special focus on Latino, African American, Asian Pacific Islander, and LGBT communities
- Training and education to healthcare, emergency responders, and other professionals
- Respite support
- MedicAlert/Safe Return
"Los Angeles is an innovative epicenter of scientific and clinical research in Alzheimer's disease, with a long and productive history with the California Southland Chapter,” said Roberta Diaz Brinton, Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering and Neurology of USC and Chair, Medical & Scientific Advisory Council, Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles. “As an Alzheimer's research community across Los Angeles, we are gratified by the strong commitment and support of Angelenos. We look forward to working closely with Alzheimer's Greater Los Angeles to create scientific synergies uniquely possible in Los Angeles that will enable breakthroughs in Alzheimer's disease for Angelenos and the world."
About Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles
Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles (formerly known as Alzheimer’s Association, California Southland Chapter) provides programs and services free of charge to individuals with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, their families, caregivers and the community. Low cost training and education are also offered for professionals. Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles began as an independent 501c3 nonprofit in 1982, before affiliating with the national Alzheimer’s Association in 1984. Effective January 7, 2016 all Alzheimer’s Greater Los Angeles fundraising will stay local, focusing on care, support, advocacy, and research across Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties.
Alzheimer’s is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that weakens the memory and other cognitive and emotional functions. For more information, call the Helpline 24/7 at 1-844-HELP-ALZ or visit www.alzgla.org.
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