Promoting Health and Wellness Throughout the Life Span
What We Do
Oftentimes, home-bound seniors can feel isolated, lonely and in need of a little extra support. Positive Solutions provides outreach, along with mental health prevention and intervention, to home-bound individuals (60+) who are at risk of becoming depressed or are showing signs of minor depression. Trained and compassionate staff members help clients recognize symptoms, identify possible causes of depression and teach proven ways to cope. This is achieved through short-term psychoeducation, the evidence-based PEARLS (Program to Encourage Active and Rewarding Lives for Seniors) model, and other brief interventions. Our goal is to reduce feelings of isolation, and increase an individual’s social support system and overall self-sufficiency.
Who We Serve
Services are available for individuals ages 60+ from all cultural backgrounds in the San Diego County’s Central, North Central, North Inland and North Coastal Regions. For information on the Positive Solutions referral process, contact Syed Imam at Simam@upacsd.com.
Success Story
John entered the Positive Solutions program looking for help managing his depression and cultivating daily and life goals for himself. He had been incarcerated for over 40 years and found it very difficult adjusting to life as a free man, but also overcoming barriers as an older adult with limited support. Through close collaboration and encouragement from his UPAC therapist, he was able to develop increased insight and self-awareness, and learned various coping mechanisms to help him manage his depression. After participating in the Positive Solutions program, John was able to obtain his own apartment, register in a job agency, perform volunteer work, and engage in multiple social and recreational activities. He was able to meet all the goals he set for himself and continues to strive to improve after being linked to long-term services.
* Names have been altered to protect client privacy.
Funded by the County of San Diego
Program Manager
Velia Gitari, MA
Velia Gitari, MA, has been working with older adults since 2003 starting with chronic mentally ill older adults and later coordinating a peer counseling program where volunteers provided emotional support to chronically mentally ill clients. Her expertise in this area helped her transfer her skills to the UPAC-EMASS Program providing support, training and supervision to the EMASS’ Community Health Workers. Today, she is the Program Manager, enhancing the delivery of its goals–to reach older adults in underserved communities with engagement, outreach and mental health prevention education. She also manages its more important element–The Community Health Workers representatives of Iraqi, Chaldean, African American, Somali, Latino and Filipino Communities.
200 N. Ash Street, Suite 100
Escondido, CA 92027
Tel: (760) 233-1984
175 W. Lexington Avenue, Suite B&C
El Cajon, CA 92020
Tel: (619) 749-5560
9360 Activity Road, Suite B
San Diego, CA 92126
Tel: (619) 238-1783
Fax: (619) 238-1837
920 W. San Marcos, Suite
San Marcos, CA 92078
Tel: (760) 736-8373
Fax: (760) 736-8815