WHO WE ARE | San Diego Imperial

Who we are.

The San Diego/Imperial Geriatric Education Center (SDIGEC) was established in 2015 to address the need for enhanced geriatric education on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) in San Diego County, California. This work built upon a county-wide assessment of San Diego titled The Alzheimer’s Project, which continues to shape services for people experiencing memory loss and to inform the Age Well San Diego Action Plan to create a vision of an age-friendly and dementia-friendly San Diego.

In 2019, we expanded our focus to include comprehensive geriatrics and age-friendly health care education for primary care in rural and underserved areas. We have developed partnerships with several Federally Qualified Health Centers and Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) and expanded our program by adding the neighboring Imperial County.

In 2024, the SDIGEC received new funding to continue and expand the work of our center for another 5 years! We have robust partnerships with academic, healthcare, community and County program providers. Together, our community is working to address care gaps and improve health outcomes for older adults, strengthen training of the geriatric workforce, and build age-friendly and dementia-friendly health systems and communities.

Our Objectives

Develop robust partnerships between academia, health care, and community-based organizations to train a workforce to improve care of older adults
Train primary care providers and health professions students, residents, fellows, and faculty to address the care needs of older adults - particularly in tribal, tribal organization, underserved and rural primary care and skilled nursing settings
Deliver community-based programs about Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias
Provide training in the community - to patients, families and care partners
Transform primary care and long-term care environments into dementia-friendly and age-friendly systems