All posts by : Darrick Lam

We are pleased to share that the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine has enabled a handful of in-person activities, classes, and visits to resume at ACC Senior Services. The light at the end of the tunnel is shining brighter as people in the ACC community connect once again. 

That being said, this is not the time to relax our diligent efforts to protect our staff, volunteers, residents, and our community.  With the spread of the Delta variant, we have continued to employ best practices and follow guidance from the CDC and health department.  We have successfully vaccinated over 90% of our current staff and require new employees and volunteers to be fully vaccinated. In doing so, we have joined the growing number of companies, educational institutions, and government agencies determined to win the battle against COVID-19 once and for all. 

The data has shown that vaccines are extremely safe and effective in preventing sickness and death. Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine received full FDA approval, and the others are not far behind. Please get vaccinated if you have not done so already.

The pandemic has led to staffing shortages across many industries, including healthcare, retail, transportation, and restaurants. ACC Maple Tree Village and ACC Care Center have been hit especially hard because we are required to maintain specific staffing ratios. When these cannot be met, we have to limit new admissions and forego revenue. 

To improve our competitiveness, ACC recently approved equity and retention pay adjustments for staff members who are currently working at our skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. We are also developing new recruiting messages and tools. You might have seen Jay Sloan, our Talent Acquisition Specialist, in a new video describing why ACC is a great place to work, focusing on how healthcare workers can develop their professional connections and advance their careers. 

ACC continues to explore the home and community-based services. Lynda Tanner, President & CEO at VNA Health in Santa Barbara, and Judy Thomas, CEO at Coalition for Compassionate Care for California gave a special presentation on hospice and palliative care, services that are commonly delivered at home. This quarter, we are meeting with an expert from an investment firm to discuss the declining demand for institutionalized care and new business models for providing assisted living and skilled nursing services in-home. ACC had been studying these trends well before the pandemic began. The pandemic only made them more important and underscored the urgency to act.

One type of in-home service is ACC online programs. Thanks to the work of Jeri Shikuma, Susan Sarinas, Ted Fong, and Krystal Wu, we have held more than 415 virtual concerts, classes, and workshops in the last 12 months! In September, we asked registrants if they would like to continue with online classes or in-person classes after the pandemic. Out of 173 respondents, 63% said both, 30% said online-only, and 7% said in-person only. In other words, 93% want to keep online classes going! But to continue our online and in-person programs free of charge, we need sponsors. Our goal is to raise $250,000 per year in sponsorships to pay for instructors, production staff, and studio facilities. As you have seen, the ACC Community Room doubles as our production studio. If you or your company would like to help ACC achieve this goal, you can contact Jeri Shikuma at jshikuma@accsv.org or 916-393-9026. Jeri and her team can give you a tour of the ACC production studio and discuss ways we can recognize your gift and/or promote your business during our live broadcasts.

Last but not least, we are happy to announce the appointment of Betsy Donovan to the ACC Board of Directors. Betsy was the Chief Operating Officer at Eskaton from 2010 to 2020, overseeing 30 communities and programs including affordable housing, skilled nursing, assisted living, memory care, continuing care retirement communities, home healthcare, adult day healthcare, and quality and compliance.  Welcome on board, Betsy!

Hate crimes against Asian Americans rose 150% last year, many of them targeting the elderly. In January, 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee was on his morning walk in San Francisco when an assailant ran up and shoved him to the pavement. Mr. Ratanapakdee, an immigrant from Thailand, died from his injuries.

Chinese Americans and even those who look Chinese are being blamed for COVID-19. The Governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, who is married to a Korean American, recently reported that his wife, three daughters, and grandkids had experienced discrimination. Around the country, racial hate has escalated into violence.

The problem has gotten so bad that President Joe Biden issued a memorandum in January denouncing hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). During his first national address on March 11, the President went straight to the issue, saying there have been “vicious hate crimes against Asian Americans who’ve been attacked, harassed, blamed and scapegoated… It’s wrong, it’s un-American, and it must stop.” What a stark change in attitude from the previous administration.

For nearly 50 years, ACC Senior Services has worked hard to support our seniors’ health and welfare. But we did not foresee the day when we would have to protect them from racial violence.

George Floyd’s death taught us that all groups experiencing racial injustice must stand up for each other; otherwise, the plight of individual groups will be ignored. We quickly saw how a coalition of minorities became a majority demanding an end to institutional racism.

That said, I am heartened to see that more and more companies and organizations (including ACC Senior Services) are practicing “diversity, inclusion, and equity” in their operations and in how they relate to the world. In particular, “inclusion” addresses the need to work with, respect, and appreciate people who are not like ourselves. Perhaps this would have prevented Mr. Ratanapakdee’s death.

I believe that self-interest, the lack of cultural awareness, and the media are among the root causes of racism. If you agree that these are factors, then we still have a lot of work to do.

In the meantime, let’s remain vigilant in fighting all hate crimes. Report them to the police. In addition, you can report AAPI hate crimes to stopaapihate.org, which is run by Chinese for Affirmative Action (CAA), and the Asian American Studies Department of San Francisco State University. They track and respond to hate, violence, harassment, discrimination, and bullying against AAPI in the United States.

By Darrick Lam, President and CEO, ACC Senior Services

Recognizing that California’s over-65 population is projected to grow to 8.6 million by 2030, Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order in June 2019 calling for the creation of a Master Plan for Aging to be developed by December 2020. The Master Plan will serve as a blueprint that can be used by state government, local communities, private organizations and philanthropy to build environments that promote an age-friendly California.

In September 2019, I was appointed a Member of the Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) to work alongside those who represent a broad array of Californians with an interest in building an age-friendly California, such as older Californians, adults with disabilities, local government, healthcare providers, health plans, employers, community-based organizations, foundations, academic researchers, and organized labor.

Since the Governor’s Executive Order, the Master Plan for Aging’s Together We Engage campaign has included nine SAC meetings, as well as thirteen Long-Term Services & Supports Subcommittee, six Research Subcommittee, and four Equity Work Group meetings. In between these meetings, countless hours of work took place, including review and consideration of over 240 stakeholder organization recommendation letters and over 1,000 public comments collected via meetings, surveys, email, and nine Webinar Wednesdays. Legislators convened communities to discuss the Master Plan for Aging at six legislative round tables. Throughout the past year, the Master Plan for Aging team has gathered a wide range of input through dozens of Master Plan for Aging forums with associations, local communities, and private sector partners.

This engagement process has culminated in over 800 SAC recommendations to inform the final Master Plan. In September 2020, an executive summary was released by SAC, focusing on Long Term Services and Supports, Housing, Poverty, Equity and Leadership priorities along with over 800 recommendations. The California Health and Human Services Agency and an All Cabinet Work Group are currently reviewing these recommendations and developing the Master Plan for Aging with the Governor. This month, the Governor will release the final Master Plan for Aging, including the State Plan, Local Playbook, and Data Dashboard in alignment with the Governor’s Alzheimer’s Prevention and Preparedness Task Force. I look forward to partnering with state and local governments, as well as non-profit and private entities, on implementation of the Master Plan in 2021.

As 2020 comes to an end, we reflect on how much and how quickly ACC and its volunteers have responded to the current health crisis. Early on, people made thousands of cloth masks for ACC. They rushed to donate supplies and their time to help ACC mitigate the crisis. 

In May, ACC’s Big Day of Giving saw an outpouring of donations like we’ve never seen before. The virtual telethon raised $160,000, three times the amount raised at last year’s event. In the face of this crisis, we saw a community that cares about others above itself.

All the while, our leadership team was mobilizing the workforce for what has become the deadliest pandemic in 100 years. Most important were the safety measures put in place for our residents, volunteers and staff in early March, which we continue to improve on. 

We have stayed on top of PPE procurement, infection control, COVID-19 testing and contact tracing. Last month, the Care Center expanded its license to provide skilled nursing services at Maple Tree Village (see page 3). ACC Senior Services also transitioned to Zoom to remain connected with the community. We felt it was really important to be open, transparent, and timely with critical information. We held town halls at all our facilities, some more than once.  We did the same with our volunteers and employees. When we learned about the first case of COVID-19 at the Care Center, the employees and the Board were notified within hours and families shortly thereafter.

Through all this, we remain passionate about serving this community in the best tradition of ACC. This includes finding new ways of serving our seniors.

In October, we launched ACC online classes, workshops, and concerts. More than 400 people have signed up (visit accsv.org/online). We received a grant from SMUD to purchase and distribute 50 laptops and training to seniors seeking employment (SCSEP program). We are making reassurance calls to residents and continuing to operate ACC Rides for our most vulnerable seniors.

Before the pandemic, we started a “change management” initiative, which looked at how ACC can develop stronger working relationships between volunteers and staff, so that future challenges can be met. Managing our business growth was one of them, but, practically overnight, COVID-19 took center stage.  The effects of COVID-19 will be felt for years to come, even with a forthcoming vaccine. This has been factored into our 2021-2025 Strategic Plan. We have to embrace change. It is the only way we will move forward in this brave new world. 

Last, we want to mention that on Wednesday, December 16, at 6 PM, ACC is having an online musical event, “Home for the Holidays,” to honor the heroes of ACC (see page 12). We encourage you to watch it and make a year-end gift in tribute to the staff, volunteers, and family caregivers who care for our seniors. For nearly 50 years, your philanthropic donations to ACC have spurred growth and service to the community. We want to thank the people who make ACC truly a community of caring – families, staff, volunteers, and our Board of Directors.

On behalf of a grateful organization, we wish you Happy and Healthy Holidays and a bright New Year ahead!

ACC has served the Sacramento community since the early 1970s. Long on vision and strong on planning, ACC has enjoyed tremendous growth decade after decade. Next year, ACC will celebrate its 50-year anniversary. But its work doesn’t stop there.

On August 18, 2020, ACC rolled out its 2021-2025 Strategic Plan at a virtual town hall meeting attended by approximately 80 ACC staff, members of the Board, volunteers, and key stakeholders. This was the culmination of a one-day strategic planning retreat held last year on August 17th and twelve  meetings of the ACC Executive Committee and Executive Management team since then. 

Attendees of the strategic planning retreat worked collaboratively to develop the four key goals and then the ACC Executive Team and the Executive Committee developed the action plan and guiding principles to achieve them. The ACC Board of Directors approved the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan at the August 31, 2020 Board meeting with the theme of Honoring the Past – Transforming for the Future.  The Goals are:

Goal #1: To be a premier provider of community and residential services focused on creating meaningful life experiences for older adults and their families 

Goal #2: To develop a business model that spurs program growth and charitable giving, while ensuring high levels of quality services and financial stability 

Goal #3: To be the preferred employer of an engaged workforce by supporting professional development and the collective contributions of our staff 

Goal #4: To cultivate an organization-wide culture where volunteers and staff work hand-in-hand to fulfill the vision and mission of ACC Senior Services 

The COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s racial issues played a role in developing these goals. They have broadened our view of health and safety and our responsibilities to the greater community. ACC will remain clear-eyed and proactive about handling these and other exigencies that will come our way.

The 2021-2025 Strategic Plan will be guided by the following principles:

• Emphasizing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
• Ensuring Financial Sustainability
• Reshaping Services & Programs with Technology
• Reimagining Volunteer Engagement
• Enhancing Social Interaction 

The Five-Year Strategic Plan lists specific strategies under each goal. These include:

• Creating a holistic environment at ACC where clients, residents, families, volunteers and staff have opportunities to nurture their body, mind, and spirit 
• Promoting ACC in the community as a thought leader and trusted expert on aging issues and best practices 
• Increasing transportation services to older adults living in ACC residential communities as well as those living at home 
• Developing a plan to remodel the Care Center and/or build an additional post-acute facility to maintain ACC’s viability and improve the level of resident privacy and self-direction 
• Evaluating the efficacy of ACC adding or collaborating on affordable housing options for seniors 
• Continuing to integrate services throughout ACC, eliminate siloed thinking, and promote teamwork across program lines 
• Developing a robust Intergenerational Program, engaging the local community throughout all ACC divisions to enhance community service and connectedness 
• Establishing a viable fundraising and endowment plan to sustain current programs and enable future growth of ACC 
• Expanding the Career Advancement Program (CAP) to include all employees and develop additional modules to meet employee development needs 
• Developing and scaling ACC’s unique “Community of Caring” brand throughout the community 
• Exploring and developing options to attract and retain high quality staff 
• Cultivating an ACC Core Value-driven workforce including both staff and volunteers. 
• Promoting communication, mutual understanding, and respect among staff and volunteers 

Each of these strategies (and there are many more) has an action plan and owners assigned to them. ACC’s Executive Management Team will report quarterly to the ACC Board of Directors on the progress of the strategies and action plans.  The Strategic Plan will be reviewed annually, adjustments made as needed, and shared with the ACC Community.   

Amidst all this, ACC is prepared to adapt to future changes in the marketplace. The number of older adults and their life expectancy will continue to rise, driving more demand for assisted-living, memory care, and in-home services. More social services and life-long learning programs will be needed too. 

The Strategic Plan also calls for developing a strong culture of philanthropy and business innovation. The Big Day of Giving held in May raised a record-breaking $160,000, a clear indicator that the community is passionate about what ACC does. Jean Shiomoto, our Board Chair, believes that the challenge in the next five years is to create more opportunities for philanthropic donations and creating endowments that will lead to  new, impactful programs for seniors.

ACC’s stature in the community has risen over five decades. People and other institutions will continue to seek ACC’s views on a range of healthcare and social issues, especially those that affect underserved seniors and people of color. Because of this, ACC needs to move in the direction of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are no longer just serving the Asian community.

ACC is already seeing a more diverse workforce and client base, but there is more work to be done. The transformation will continue in the next five years.

By Darrick Lam, ACC President/CEO and Jean Shiomoto, ACC Chair of the Board

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACC Care Center has worked diligently to follow the evolving guidance from local, state, and federal resources in order to maintain the safety and health of our valued residents and staff. ACC maintains robust infection control practices, a universal masking requirement, daily symptom screenings, and strict personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements. ACC also implemented visitation restrictions in accordance with regulatory guidance to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 

Unfortunately, with COVID-19 numbers surging in Sacramento County and throughout California, ACC Care Center had its first resident with COVID-19 positive results in July. Subsequent to this, multiple residents and staff members also tested positive. We notified our residents, their family members, responsible parties, and primary physicians. We also notified our staff members and made a public statement on the ACC website on July 24. The residents who tested positive were safely transferred out to the hospital for follow-up. The staff members self-isolated at home under guidance from county health officials. 

No new cases have been reported at the Care Center since August 18, 2020, but intensive testing continues per County healthy guidelines. Along with the rest of the nation, ACC’s fight against COVID-19 will extend well into the future. Rest assured, our procedures for prevention and handling the recent surge are as strong as ever thanks to the leadership of our Medical Director, Dr. Scott Stringer. In fact, ACC has appointed Dr. Stringer to also be the Medical Director for Assisted Living at ACC Maple Tree Village and ACC Greenhaven Terrace. Your moral support and donations have helped Dr. Stringer and his team fight this unseen, uncanny enemy.

In the midst of all this, ACC has experienced many uplifting moments. To show our appreciation to our valued volunteers ACC held a Volunteer Lunch Delivery Event in place of the Annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon that is normally held in May. We delivered 150 lunches to volunteers at their homes in mid-July. Thank you to all the staff and, yes, volunteers, who made ACC’s Volunteer Lunch Delivery Event a success. Read Volunteer Appreciation story.

On Friday, August 14, ACC Care Center resident Mrs. Chang Hou celebrated her 101st birthday. With the help of Activity Director Debbie Williams, her family made a “window visit,” standing outside in 102-degree heat to sing Happy Birthday, hold up a giant sign, and talk to their mom through the glass. Mrs. Hou, whom her daughter Emily Chapman describes as strong and feisty, was visibly moved, as were the family members and staff who were present. 

Another centenarian, Maple Tree Village (MTV) resident Minnie Iseri, turned 100 years old. MTV staff arranged for her to celebrate her birthday with family and friends online via Zoom on August 29th.  Family from across the country and from Japan shared in this special celebration for Minnie. Minnie was amazed we could “call” everyone like that and she could see everyone. Minnie was able to converse with her family from Japan too.  It was cute to hear one family member say they would take a small virtual slice of cake.  Don’t we all say that in person! Sacramento City Councilmember Rick Jennings even presented her a key to the city. Happy Birthday, Minnie! Read Minnie’s story.

The paradox of social distancing is that people are becoming closer. Their feelings for each other and their drive to connect have become more important as we change how we interact during the pandemic.  At ACC, we have seen the best of our core human values emerge as people find new ways to connect with each other.

This Fall, ACC Programs is launching an initial offering of online classes and events. Many seniors embrace this, but according to our recent survey, 48% of respondents were “not sure” if they would participate in a new online format.  We saw at the recent ACC telethon, a new level of energy and creativity is building around online programs among staff and volunteers alike. We also know that not everyone can connect online.  Stay tuned as we work on content, and learning and connectivity strategies. 

ACC was scheduled to roll out its Five-Year Strategic Plan before the pandemic changed everything. This plan was the result of a retreat we had in August 2019 attended by more than 60 ACC volunteers including Board and committee members. Since then, we have reset the timeline and adjusted some of our goals to reflect the new normal caused by COVID-19.

In closing, we want to thank the ACC Community for remaining diligent against COVID-19, helping those adversely affected, and remaining optimistic that we will emerge from the pandemic stronger and better.

By Darrick Lam,
President and CEO,
ACC Senior Services

Black lives matter. The senseless killing of George Floyd and others by the police shows that bigotry and discrimination against African Americans will keep growing unless we step outside of our comfort zone and take real action. 

I’ve talked to many ACC employees who are outraged, hurt, and threatened by this latest round of police brutality, especially those who have experienced unbridled prejudice in the past.  I believe ACC needs to explore ways to break its silence and join the worldwide community to condemn the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and other African Americans. We cannot continue to tolerate the deaths that have shocked the nation’s conscience or the bigotry and discrimination that foster it.  

Today, many people, including victims of violence, are afraid to call the police, fearing that more harm than good will result. As a trained social worker, I agree with the view that policing alone cannot solve the underlying causes of social problems.  

Thousands of protesters marched in downtown Sacramento on June 6, 2020. More than 750 cities in U.S. held protests since the killing of George Floyd. 

You might wonder what this has to do with our mission to care for seniors. Seniors, too, can be victims of discrimination, violence, and abuse. If we focus only on what we consider “our business,” then it becomes easier for destructive forces to divide and harm us. When our neighbors are fighting for social justice, we must step in and support their fight to be treated with the same dignity and respect due to every person. Protests around the world in the wake of Mr. Floyd’s death are a catalyst for populist change and we have an opportunity to be part of this change.

I fully agree with an article published by TIME Magazine on June 9^th that “lasting change won’t happen without actively deconstructing our beliefs about race…in order to make social and economic change in a society rife with institutional racism, it’s not enough to not be racist, but rather people need to be actively anti-racist. For many people learning how to be a helpful ally, the best place to start is educating themselves and listening.” 

We often use our own culture and values as a measuring stick to determine how and why we treat people the way we do. We forget to ask ourselves, “How does this person want to be treated, not based on my values and culture, but theirs?” Or, “Do I even know their culture and values well enough to know if I’m treating them with respect?” These questions are the basis of ethical human interaction. We all need to learn, to grow, and to fully appreciate other people. 

We can begin our fight for social justice by asking ourselves these questions:  

• How can we help African Americans and other communities of color obtain justice? 
• What can we do to reduce implicit biases, racial injustice, and inequality in our institutions, not just law enforcement? 
• How can we protect the rights of all our citizens regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, age, or country of origin? 
• What can we do to invest in our community to educate our young and old, fight racism, and give would-be victims new life-changing opportunities?

It’s time for ACC to take real action and join our neighbors in support of causes that address racial violence in this country.  Please let me know if you would like to join me in this long overdue fight for social justice. For those who are interested in a dialogue, please email your comments or questions to info@accsv.org.

Thank you for supporting ACC Senior Services in 2019. This year, we helped thousands of older adults in Sacramento get healthcare, housing, transportation, and social services. We kept them engaged with 2,700 class sessions and wellness workshops. We provided more than 30,000 rides and more than 29,000 days of long-term care. Our home visits have given hope and help to people who are homebound and living alone.

2020 will see the opening of ACC Maple Tree Village Assisted Living and Memory Care. ACC is helping dozens of families navigate a critical transition in their loved one’s care. While it has been a difficult journey for many, they now have a path forward. We will care for them in the ACC tradition. In the words of our COO Melanie Segar, “Our staff is educated and compassionate. These two qualities go hand in hand at ACC.”

Please consider making a year-end gift to ACC to fund these important programs in 2020:

ACC Memory Care Program: curriculum development, training for staff and family caregivers, community outreach; to be introduced at ACC Maple Tree Village

ACC Care Center Career Advancement Program: training staff on dementia and hospice care, concierge customer service, and the use of new diagnostic equipment including ultrasound, BiPAP and state-of-the-art point-of-care testing equipment

ACC Rides: recruiting and training new drivers and driver assistants, training on new scheduling software, providing transportation vouchers for low-income seniors and others not covered by grants

ACC Home Visits: recruiting and training new Friendly Visitor volunteers, increasing social workers to handle the caseload, providing visitation vouchers for low-income seniors and others not covered by grants

ACC Music and Arts: Expanding music and arts programs for residents of ACC Care Center, ACC Greenhaven Terrace, ACC Maple Tree Village and participants of ACC Lifelong Learning
and Wellness; developing a new contingent of volunteers and philanthropists who are connected with ACC through their love
of music and the arts

ACC’s priorities for 2020 echo the conversations about aging taking place in communities across America. And earlier this year, Darrick was appointed to Governor Newsom’s Master Plan on Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee. This gives ACC a place at the table, helping us affect change throughout the state!

We appreciate gifts of all sizes. If you want to underwrite a major portion of any of these programs, contact Ted Fong at 916-503-2085 or email tfong@accsv.org. Also, contact Ted if you want to discuss giving to ACC through stocks, real estate, RMDs (a popular option), and charitable trusts.

Since our founding in 1972, ACC has relied on philanthropy from donors like you to become “a community of caring.” We welcome your continued support!