Volunteers have unique perspectives and reasons as to why they choose to lend their time to helping people living with dementia. Some have personal and familial connections to the disease, some have genetic ties and want to be around people living with dementia, and others simply love helping people. We have several programs like ALZ Companions, VITALZ, Youth Ambassadors, social activities, and more where volunteers are essential to operations and help our clients on a daily basis. We’re spotlighting three volunteers who are committed to helping in any way they can and exploring their view on why they lend a hand.

Volunteer Backgrounds

Arthur Wang is a 15-year-old San Diego native attending Torrey Pines High School, and is one of our Youth Ambassadors. After his grandmother passed from dementia a few years ago, Arthur wanted to learn more about Alzheimer’s and how he could contribute to making a difference. Recently, Arthur applied for a grant from the Hershey Heartwarming Young Hero Grant with a proposal for birthday tote bags for our clients living with dementia and was awarded $500 to assist in his project.

Daniel Borhanian is one of our social activities volunteers and has been helping out since 2021. After attending high school locally, he went on to UC Santa Barbara and around that time he became interested in Chinese language and culture. Daniel studied abroad in Taiwan for his senior year of college and after graduating, he spent some time in Shanghai, China. He then moved to Los Angeles, then Taiwan again, then back to the US and began to work in the software industry. He survived a serious motorcycle accident in 2013 in which he experienced traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Tisha Lopez has been one of our volunteers in the VITALZ program since last September. At 27, she moved to San Diego and was inspired by the new environment, so she enrolled in community college to take “as many classes as possible to learn everything under the sun.” Last year she graduated with her Mental Health Work Certificate, a couple months ago got an Associate degree in Liberal Arts in Social & Behavioral Science, and at the end of the year will be completing two more Associate degrees– in Psychology and in Social Work. She loves to weight train, run along the marina at Seaport Village, hike at Torrey Pines, and do yoga at Sunset Cliffs, but her very favorite thing to do is meditate under the trees in Balboa Park.

Connections & Perspectives

How did you first become interested in Alzheimer’s San Diego? Do you have any personal or professional connection to Alzheimer’s?

Daniel: After my traumatic brain injury (TBI), my life changed direction… I recall that my mother had encouraged me to reach out to Lourdes Cabret, one of your Clinical Care Coaches at the organization, and Lourdes invited me to start coming by and helping set up and break down social activities at the previous office location. Because of my TBI, I am statistically more likely to develop Alzheimer’s later in life, unfortunately, so there is certainly an element of “personal” relevance to volunteering with Alzheimer’s San Diego.

Tisha: While finishing up my mental health certificate, I was lucky enough to come across Alzheimer’s San Diego’s VITALZ program to volunteer at, as hours were required for my last psychology class… my grandmother, Josephine LePre Silva, passed away from [Alzheimer’s] at 69. She was often put to the side and left alone after being diagnosed. I knew this is where I belong, where I can be there for others to not be alone, and to learn more about Alzheimer’s. I dedicate each call to my Grandma Josie.

Can you describe one meaningful experience you’ve had with volunteering and how it made an impression on you?

Arthur: Last December, Alzheimer’s San Diego sent around 50 handmade holiday cards to clients who live alone. While I was making a card for this project, I thought of asking for help from students at my local elementary school. I wrote an email to my teacher to ask whether the students in her class would like to make cards. It turned out that all students across the grades made one card each. I was overwhelmed that the students were really excited to do something kind for seniors.

What has been your biggest takeaway from your experiences with Alzheimer’s San Diego?

Tisha: I learned that Alzheimer’s disease is no respecter of persons. There are no guidelines or borders to when and who or why it chooses some and not others. I am sure we all hope to be well seasoned in good health as we get older, and I believe that we are here to be the strength for those who need it. For me, effortlessly giving time to someone not related to you or have never met before, is the reward in the experience of being a volunteer. The education offered to us about dementia through Alzheimer’s San Diego, is easy to understand and resourceful to build on as new developments arise.

What motivates you when working with our clients?

Daniel: I am a “people person”… I taught English as a second language multiple times throughout my life… I always got really positive feedback from my students and coworkers, presumably because I enjoy teaching and I appreciate how being a little goofy can make learning less stressful and more fun. I suppose that attitude has stuck with me and that’s why working with everyone at Alzheimer’s San Diego is so enjoyable and rewarding for me.

Arthur: Helping people–especially seniors–actually helps their families and everyone else in the community. In the United States, older people are more likely to live alone than elsewhere in the world. I can’t imagine some seniors all by themselves… social isolation and loneliness not only increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, but can also lead to higher instances of elder abuse. All of these factors motivate me to continue helping little by little to improve perceptions of old age and dementia.

What is your favorite part of volunteering with Alzheimer’s San Diego?

Tisha: My favorite part of volunteering is the VITALZ calls because I get to meet wonderful people and hear their stories as I mentioned earlier. I feel more and more connected to each person every call, every week. There is a magnificent mystery of not knowing what each other looks like, allowing us to focus solely on the sound of one another’s voice as the sharing unfolds. I love the way one of our clients called our relationship, “Phone Pals.” Listening to the changes each client is going through with dementia, even though we are on the phone, I feel like I am sitting right next to them, going through it together.

If you’d like to volunteer or intern at Alzheimer’s San Diego, contact our Volunteer Specialist, Lindsey Proctor, at lproctor@alzsd.org or visit our volunteer page.

By Lindsey Proctor & Braulio Ambriz