Center for Older Adults w/ Early Stage Dementia & Alzheimer’s Moving to Kearny Mesa

Jewish Family Service Brings Program for Older Adults with Early Stage Dementia and Alzheimer’s to Kearny Mesa Campus

Jewish Family Service of San Diego’s (JFS) popular University City Older Adult Center, formerly housed at Congregation Beth Israel in UTC, will soon find a new home for their Center for Older Adults inside the agency’s headquarters at the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Campus, located at 8788 Balboa Avenue in Kearny Mesa.

“We are incredibly thankful to Congregation Beth Israel for their continued partnership and support for this transition,” said JFS CEO Michael Hopkins. “The Joan & Irwin Jacobs Campus was designed to be a place of healing for our clients, collaboration for our professionals, and inspiration for our community. Bringing the Center to the campus with the rest of JFS’s services enables us to partner with clients in a deeper way.”

In its new location, the renamed Balboa Avenue Older Adult Center will continue to fill a critical need in the San Diego community with its focus on serving individuals in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, which affect more than 60,000 residents throughout the county. As a corollary to the program, family, and caregivers will be invited to join a bimonthly, on-campus Support and Discussion Group, conducted in partnership with Alzheimer’s San Diego.

Also making the transition to Balboa Avenue is Aviva Saad, who has been welcoming older adults to the Center since 2007. In her role as program coordinator, Saad leads activities to encourage mind-body wellness and takes time to check in with each visitor personally as they take part in live entertainment and a kosher lunch.

“I am so excited to welcome our clients to our beautiful new home,” said Saad. “Our new location for our Center for Older Adults is more accessible to the whole community. We will be able to touch the lives of so many older adults and their caregivers who are lacking connection and support.”

The Balboa Avenue Older Adult Center will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., beginning August 23. Current visitors, as well as new participants living in the surrounding areas, can access door-to-door transportation via JFS’s On the Go service. Detailed information can be found at www.jfssd.org/baoac or by calling 858-637-3210.

About Jewish Family Service

Since 1918, Jewish Family Service of San Diego has been a trusted community resource for individuals and families working to build better lives. Operating throughout San Diego County and the Coachella Valley, the agency’s integrated services are focused around three goals: Empower Individuals & Families to Move Toward Self-Sufficiency, Support Aging With Dignity, and Foster Community Connection & Engagement. Many people first turn to Jewish Family Service with a specific need, such as job coaching or transportation, and that first contact often leads to a wide range of services, including counseling, education, nutritious meals, social connection, and more. JFS was named a 2016 California Nonprofit of the Year and for the ninth consecutive year earned a coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent charity evaluator that highlights the work of efficient, ethical and open charities. To get help, volunteer, or to learn how JFS empowers change in our community, visit www.jfssd.org.