Life Before Alzheimer’s San Diego
In 2022, after spending several years in Oregon enjoying the small town experience, Ilene Batalla came back to her hometown of San Diego to be closer to family. She joined us a couple of years later in 2024 after seeing how the “vision aligned with [her] values of dignity and respect and [she] felt empowered by seeing the impact and clients testimonies.”
Ilene holds a Bachelor’s in Social Work with a minor in Gerontology, along with a Master’s in Social Work. She notes that her potential origin as a social worker began in her adolescence when she “always found [herself] helping the family with translating mail/documents and assisting with finding resources.”
Helping the Community
Ilene has previously worked at local organizations in the county that also serve the older adult population, with her most recent role being at an adult day health center. There she assisted individuals and families with joining a program that helped with their cognitive stimulation, decreasing social isolation, and providing respite.
She notes that she enjoys being hands-on with clients, and she’s able to do just that as one of our Dementia Care Coaches. Ilene provides support to anyone contacting our team for support – whether it be someone who just received a diagnosis, families and caregivers wanting to learn about dementia, programs and events, resources for their journey, and more. Ilene also specifically helps with the Coping with Caregiving program and caregiver support groups.
Ilene’s Perspective
Ilene’s grandmother lived with dementia, and whenever Ilene had the infrequent opportunity to visit her in Mexico, “the moments were bitter sweet when she was able to recall or remember when [Ilene] was a little girl.” She adds that she wishes they had education and knowledge of the disease back then so that her family could have known about different caregiving approaches.
Ilene recognizes how difficult it can be to place yourself in a vulnerable position and ask for help. When she first joined, she saw a caregiver connect with a Dementia Care Coach after one of our weekly social activities in the office, and witnessed how much better it made the person feel to be heard and connected with the appropriate resources. It was Ilene’s first time seeing the difference these services can make, and she emphasizes that there are no wrong questions when reaching out – “we are here to provide a listening ear and support.”
Call us at 858.492.4400 to speak with one of our dementia experts, like Ilene, who are here to help San Diego County residents and/or those caring for someone living in San Diego County (Spanish speakers available). Also check out our free education classes, social activities, caregiver support groups, & more.
By Braulio Ambriz
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Posted on February 10, 2025
