For 35 years, the Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay (ASEB) has been providing Dementia and Alzheimer’s patients with many beneficial services. Whether it be games, food, or puzzles, volunteers and staff have worked hard to better the patients’ lives. However, the services are ending on Friday, Dec. 13, 2024.
ASEB is a nonprofit that gives much support to many different groups of people including patients and caregivers. It has been active since 1989, beginning with just 15 patients and growing to serve over 100 patients a day. On their website, they describe core values as providing “a safe, caring, and stimulating environment for our participants, and a source of respite and information for caregivers.”
According to Berkeleyside, ASEB has been spending two thousand dollars a week to accommodate these expenses. If they had to continue paying the money they needed to, they would go into extreme debt. The failure to meet payroll recently, combined with all the money they have been paying, is what ultimately led to the ending of the clinic.
For many years the clinic has been of assistance to many. It has around 15 volunteers, who help with running activities, feeding patients, and interacting with them throughout the day. Lauren Bae, one of the volunteers said, “One of my fondest memories at ASEB would be during one of our music activities … One patient suggested ‘You Are My Sunshine’ and as the piano music started, the whole room began to sing along.”
Many volunteers have also grown from working with patients at ASEB. Sophia Tran, another volunteer, talked about a patient who is motivated to bring light and joy into her activities. She said, “As she shared her motivation, it soon became an inspiration, a reminder of my “why” in volunteering at ASEB, to encourage patients to explore what brings them light and simultaneous independence at this home away from home.”
ASEB provides many types of care, which makes it an option for many different people. They provide adult daycare services which is an inexpensive way to help a family member without putting them into full-time care. They also provide caregiver services which are helpful for patients who wander and families who are concerned about a family member wandering. These make it a more affordable option for families who don’t want to put their relatives into full-time care. Additionally, ASEB provides support to caregivers and educates community members about dementia care.
“This organization provides a more financially friendly option for low-income families. Without it, I worry about the uncertainty both patients and ASEB employees will face after its closure,” Bae said.
Even with uncertainty, volunteers are still looking for ways to help the clinic. They have started a GoFundMe and there are many links on ASEB’s website for donations. With enough donations, volunteers hope to reopen ASEB.