OPICA - Adult Day Program and Counseling Center

OPICA’s overarching goal is to help prevent premature institutionalization of older adults. The greatest need is for services to remain affordable.

OPICA’s short-term goals are:
1) Increase the community’s participation in Adult Day Services, regardless of client’s ability to pay,
2) Innovate and collaborate to provide social activities and counseling programs for seniors and their families who are suffering from dementia and other cognitive issues,
3) Educate the community at large about aging, as it relates to memory disorders and how to care for individuals with memory impairment and managing behaviors.

1) Increase revenue for scholarships by expanding scholarship campaign.
2) Provide as many of our programs on Telehealth, Zoom, etc. and create new Zoom programs.
3) Continue to partner with other organizations and participate in community education. Continue finding education opportunities provide to the community.
4) Developing the new OZ program, OPICA on Zoom.

OPICA provides multiple services to meet the evolving needs of the community’s vulnerable older adults and their families. Most notably in 2009, at the request of the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, OPICA developed the innovative OPICA Brain Train, a specialized multi-disciplinary support program to serve the growing number of people in the early stage of memory loss and their family caregivers, OPICA also collaborates with nursing schools and occupational therapy programs to provide opportunities for students to interact with clients socially and clinically developing their awareness and sensitivity toward elderly patients suffering from memory loss.

Through on-site, and select satellite programs, OPICA fills a critical need as one of the leading not-for-profit community-based organizations focused solely on memory loss. OPICA offers a variety of evidence-based health education and health promotion classes specifically for older adults and their caregivers. In recognition of its achievements, SCAN Health Plan presented OPICA with an Innovation Award.

As the first Adult Day Program and Counseling Center in Los Angeles, OPICA has been serving adults challenged with memory loss and their families in the West Los Angeles area for more than 40 years. OPICA creates a structured, yet socially engaging, nurturing and fun environment that enables members to avoid isolation, to experience an overall improved quality of life, and to maintain dignity, meaning, and a sense of self-worth.

OPICA provides much needed respite and peace of mind for CAREgivers. Our supportive programs and counseling services help guide families with a loved one challenged by memory loss along their unique journeys, relieving stress while providing hope. OPICA provides the community at large with a place to turn when needing information and/or guidance regarding memory loss-related conditions and we are committed to collaborative cooperation with health care providers and other social service agencies.

OPICA’s highly experienced staff and diverse set of volunteers are dedicated, hands-on, and focused on the comfort and well-being of OPICA’s members in its unique Stoner Park setting. Celebrating 40 years serving the Alzheimer’s community, OPICA looks to the future with great optimism and excitement. We are in an era where we have more access to age-related information than ever before. We better understand the progression of memory loss, preventative measures and how to best care for ourselves and our families through the journey of dementia.

By 2050, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease may nearly triple, from 5 million to as many as 16 million, barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent, slow or stop the disease. OPICA’s mandate to help individuals and families suffering from dementia is more important now than ever, underscoring the need to continue and expand our efforts.

Members of OPICA have lived rich and full lives with amazing stories to tell, and we have the privilege to add to their stories. The looks of joy, wonder, learning and creativity on members’ faces remind us every day that we have so much to offer and learn from one another.

In March 2020 a new reality landed in everybody's laps. OPICA, like many others were told to close our doors. Without missing a beat we transitioned to a telehealth model. Providing services by telephone and Zoom. We continue to create new online programming. Once we are able to reopen our doors and welcome our members back in we will continue some of our telehealth programming. This will help us reach some people who need our services and may have road blocks to coming in-person.

In January/February 2021 OPICA implemented the new OZ Program, OPICA on Zoom.