This is how we began, the agency, then called Cooper-Burkhart House, was formed by the efforts of the members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Riverside. These early founders recognized the need for a program to assist frail elderly and other mentally or physically impaired adults, so that they could remain in their homes and communities.
The agency established the first caregiver support services in the Inland Empire. In November of 1979, CCI was the first Adult Day Care Program to open in a two-county area. On July 1, 1980, the agency was incorporated as an independent, non-profit (501) © 3 charitable organization. These were difficult times. The concepts of Adult Day Services were understood by few and slow to be accepted. Few funding sources were available. In spite of these challenges the program grew.
The agency continued to evolve to meet the growing needs of the community. In January of 1981, the agency offered the first Alzheimer’s disease caregiver’s Support Group in a two-county area. In January of 1987, it was awarded a designation from the State Department of Aging to operate as an Adult Day Care Resource Center (ADCRC) allowing the Center to focus on services for persons who are moderately to severely impaired with dementia. Later, in May of 1995, the Adult Day Health Care Program was added to the growing array of services at the Riverside location. A new medically licensed program was included with our other programs, this added nursing treatment and restorative therapies to the Care Program.
A second site was established in 1990, when the agency was invited by the County of Riverside to develop an Adult Day Care Program at the new Kay Ceniceros Senior Center in Sun City. In 1997, the Sun City site was expanded to a licensed capacity of 40 participants to accommodate its designation as a Satellite Alzheimer’s Day Care Resource Center (ADCRC).
In 2000, a longtime dream became a reality when the agency moved its administrative and program services to its present location on Adams Street in Riverside, California. Here, in a beautiful environment, participants receive state-of-the-art Adult Day Care, Adult Day Health Care, and Alzheimer’s services. The name of the agency was officially changed in 2001 to Care Connexxus, Inc. The name was chosen to signify the connectivity between the participant, the caregiver, community, and Care Connexxus, Inc., services.
Today, there is a growing recognition of the need and importance of Adult Day Services. Care Connexxus’ mission and commitment to quality services remains unchanged. The demand for our services is greater than ever before. With the support of a dedicated board of directors, caring staff, volunteers, and community, Care Connexxus, Inc., will continue to evolve and grow to meet the ever increasing needs of the family and community.