In 1984, the California State Legislature passed the Comprehensive Act for Families and Caregivers of Brain Impaired Adults. Brain impairment is defined as "a permanent, significant destruction of brain tissue with resultant loss of brain function." Most common are disorders causing dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. Degenerative diseases, causing both physical and cognitive impairment such as Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and Huntington's, are also common. Strokes, traumatic brain injuries and brain tumors are other examples.

This legislation authorized the creation of a statewide network of 11 resource centers, with each center to serve as a single point of entry for families to all available state and local services. The Southern Caregiver Resource Center (SCRC) was established in 1987 to serve San Diego and Imperial counties. SCRC's mission is to help families and communities master the challenges of caring for adults with brain impairing conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, Parkinson's, Huntington's and traumatic brain injury, and the frail elderly. To accomplish this mission, the SCRC addresses the emotional, physical and financial needs of family caregivers through cost-effective and prevention-oriented programs and services.

The Southern Caregiver Resource Center provides a comprehensive array of services to family caregivers of adults with a brain impairing disease or condition and the frail elderly. These services include:

* General information and orientation to brain impairing diseases and conditions.

* Case management/family consultation and long-term care planning. SCRC works with families and caregivers to provide support, alleviate stress, examine options, enabling them to make decisions relating to the care of adults. Family consultants provide in-home assessment of caregiver needs and long-term care planning.

* Emotional support and mental health services. The resource center offers six sessions of private counseling as well as support groups.

* Legal and financial planning (e.g., conservatorship, estate planning) for caregivers and families of adults with a brain-impairing condition or disease.

* Respite care services to provide short-term relief to the caregiver from the day-to-day stress of caregiving responsibilities.

* Educational programs. The resource center provides seminars and workshops for caregivers and health care professionals on many aspects of brain impairment, behavior management, patient care and stress relief, etc.

* Eldercare Alternatives Program. The resource center works with local companies providing support and assistance to employed caregivers.

* Link2Care -- a closed, secure, 24-hour a day Internet site offering information on every facet of caregiving (specific to dementia).

* In-home and personal care services for seniors in Imperial County. These services are provided by Southern Caregiver Resource Center through funding from the Area Agency on Aging, Imperial County.

The Resource Center staff of trained family consultants provides the majority of these services. For respite, in-home services and legal and financial consultations, the center contracts with other professionals to provide the service. Except for a minimal co-payment for respite and counseling, and small fees for some educational programs, all services offered by SCRC are free of charge. All services seek to prolong a family's ability to care for their loved one at home and reduce the financial consequences for the family.