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Saturday, October 25, 2025
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute
1964 W 162nd St, Gardena, CA 90247
The theme of this conference is Building a Strong Care Foundation.
For Keiro’s second Caregiver Conference in 2025, we will be heading to the South Bay! Centered on Building a Strong Care Foundation through advance care planning, this event will offer valuable insights, practical strategies, and expert guidance to empower caregivers to secure not only their loved ones’ futures, but also their own. Together, we’ll explore innovative tools and resources designed to enhance caregiver support for Our Community in the South Bay.
Schedule
9:30 a.m. – Registration Opens
10:00 a.m. – Resource Fair Opens and Refreshments
10:30 a.m. – Welcome Remarks
10:45 – 11:45 a.m. – Panel Discussion: Practical Lessons in Family Caregiving
11:45 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Break
12:00 – 1:00 p.m. – Presentation: Legal Scenarios & Family Decision-Making
1:00 p.m. – Lunch
2:00 p.m. – End of Conference
Presentations
Practical Lessons in Family Caregiving
Caregiving is never one-size-fits-all. This panel brings together family caregivers with hands-on experience to share candid stories and lessons learned from their caregiving journeys. From navigating different levels of care to coordinating among family members and health care providers, this panel will provide attendees with a well-rounded understanding of the realities and possibilities of family caregiving. Ideal for both current and future caregivers, this presentation will offer perspectives and tools to help manage care for loved ones — and themselves.
Attendees will learn:
- Recognize the spectrum of care needs and how they change over time.
- Learn effective approaches to navigating complex family dynamics and decision-making in caregiving.
- Identify practical strategies for coordinating care responsibilities and accessing available community and professional resources.
Alan Kita is a family caregiver and a community and cultural expert. He is a former president of the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute and currently serves as secretary on the Board. Additionally, he is a councillor at Gardena Buddhist Church, where he remains active by teaching Dharma School to middle school students, as well as storytelling and newswriting at Wisteria Chugakko. Alan also serves on the Board of Directors for the Japanese Language School and Nakayoshi Preschool. He returned to work at USC University Relations as a business technician for the Head Start program and for TRIO high school program.
Viva Aya Mogi is a public policy strategist and a caregiver to her mother with Alzheimer’s for the past 10 years. With a background in education, racial justice, and civic engagement, Viva has spent the past 15 years working alongside school districts, advocacy coalitions, and local governments to build more equitable systems.
As a daughter navigating both caregiving and leadership, she understands the emotional, cultural, and structural challenges that caregivers face—especially in communities of color. Viva now integrates her lived experience into her consulting and storytelling work, advocating for policies and workplaces that truly honor care as a strategy for change.
Nancy Kadota Wong is an experienced family caregiver who took care of both her parents while teaching part-time. She first learned about Iyashi Care for her parents through a support group at her church. Since then, Nancy has continued to be a strong advocate for the Iyashi Care program and has shared their mission with many friends and family. Nancy is also an active member of So-Phis, a non-profit, philanthropic women’s organization based in Orange County.
Legal Scenarios & Family Decision-Making
Join Estate Attorney Wilbur Gin for an informative presentation using real-life scenarios to explore common — and often unexpected — caregiving and end-of-life challenges. From sudden health declines to family disagreements, this session will walk through best practices and proactive planning strategies that can help families feel confident and prepared. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and clarify concerns related to durable power of attorney and estate planning.
Attendees will learn:
- Understand how estate planning tools (e.g., durable power of attorney, advance health care directives, wills/trusts) can support caregivers in real-life caregiving situations.
- Identify common legal and logistical pitfalls in caregiving and end-of-life planning, and learn how to proactively address them.
- Gain confidence in initiating conversations with loved ones about estate planning.
Wilbur Gin is an attorney with over 40 years of experience specializing in estate planning, wills and trusts, and probate. Since graduating UCLA School of Law, Wilbur has dedicated his career to helping families and business owners plan for the future with clarity and confidence.
In addition to his legal practice, Wilbur is a longtime community educator and volunteer. He has served as an instructor in estate planning, real estate, and business law and speaks at seminars for professional and community groups.
Event Sponsorship
Sponsors listed as of September 25, 2025.
Resource Fair
Click on the logo or organization name to be directed to their websites.
Alzheimer’s Los Angeles
Contact: Kristy Huang-Arai, Senior Manager, Education and Outreach
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 323.930.6257
Website: alzheimersla.org
Description: Alzheimer’s Los Angeles provides free workshops, care counseling, support groups, early-stage programs, and more. Our services empower caregivers to manage stress, understand dementia, access resources, and develop care plans in a compassionate, supportive, and culturally inclusive environment.
Center for Health Care Rights
Contact: Rie Fischman, Community Education Coordinator
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 800.434.0222
Website: healthcarerights.org
Description: We help people navigate Medicare! The Center for Health Care Rights is a nonprofit providing free, unbiased help to LA County residents for over 40 years—explaining benefits and costs, resolving care access issues, and assisting with financial help enrollment.
Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute
Contact: Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 310.324.6611
Website: jci-gardena.org
Description: Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute (GVJCI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community center providing various classes, services and programs for seniors, non-senior adults and youth in the South Bay of Los Angeles County for over 50 years. Their mission is to create a space to engage, share, and embrace the Nikkei experience and culture. We are a hidden gem located on the border of the cities of Gardena and Torrance and the beautiful Southern California beach cities.
Hokyo Insurance Services
Contact: Kelly Hokyo, Licensed Independent Insurance Agent
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 626.675.2317
Website: hokyoinsurance.com
Description: Kelly Hokyo is a licensed independent insurance agent certified with top medicare plans. She helps seniors find health plans that best suit their needs and budget, providing options to give them the power and freedom to choose.
Independence at Home, SCAN
Contact: Mayra Garzona
Phone: 866.421.1964
Website: independenceathome.org
Description: Independence at Home is open to the community at large, in Los Angeles, Orange, and Riverside counties. Our programs are for those age 55 and over OR caregivers, who are caring for someone 55+. All our services are at NO COST! We serve non-SCAN members. We offer behavioral health services, technology support, case management, homeless services and education classes.
Iyashi Care
Contact: Keiro
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 213.873.5791
Website: keiro.org/iyashi-care
Description: Iyashi Care offers palliative care for Japanese American and Japanese older adults with serious illnesses. Our bilingual team of health care professionals provides guidance and support for both patients and their families as they pursue the best possible quality of life alongside treatment.
Little Tokyo Service Center
Contact: Jun Hori, Manager of Care and Support Services
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 213.473.3035 (Main Office),
310.819.8659 (South Bay Office)
Website: ltsc.org
Description: The mission of Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) is to provide a comprehensive array of social welfare and community development services to assist low income individuals and other persons in need, contribute to community revitalization and cultural preservation in Little Tokyo and among the broader Japanese community in the Southland, and to provide such resources to neighboring Asian Pacific Islander and other low income communities.
Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Care at UCLA
Contact: Monica Moore, Community Health Program Manager
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 310.794.3914
Website: eastonad.ucla.edu
Description: The Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Research and Care at UCLA is a comprehensive center focused on Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases. The center provides educational materials on brain health, dementia, research, clinical trials, and information about where to receive a proper diagnosis and cognitive evaluation.
OPICA Adult Day Care & Counseling Center
Contact: Pam Schwimmer, Community Outreach Associate
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 310.478.0226
Website: opica.org
Description: OPICA Adult Day Care & Counseling Center provides a comprehensive set of services personalized for adults challenged with memory loss, and for their families. These programs, as well as counseling and support groups, help family members of those with memory loss find hope, respite, and peace of mind.
Retirement Planning Advisors
Contact: Karl Kim, CFP®, CRTP
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 714.994.0599
Website: retirementplanningadvisors.com Description: With almost 40 years of experience, Karl Kim, CFP ®, CRTP, is the founder of Retirement Planning Advisors, Inc. He and his team are proud to bring a background of research, education, and compassion to helping clients of all walks of life prepare for and thrive in retirement.
The Key/Millennia
Contact: Yukari Roberts, General Manager
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 888.285.4913
Website: thekey.com/millennia
Description: TheKey / Millennia provides non-medical, in-home services, delivering individually designed, culturally sensitive, and person-centered care to older adults in Japanese American and Japanese communities. Our comprehensive services include hourly home care, 24-hour care, hospital-to-home transitions, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, and various other specialized care options.
Caregiver Conference – South Bay Recordings
“Caregiver Conference – South Bay Presentations” Video – https://youtu.be/d1OYYaBVU1E
Past Caregiver Conferences
2025 Caregiver Conference – San Gabriel Valley
2024 Caregiver Conference
2023 Caregiver Conference
2022 Caregiver Conference
2021 Caregiver Conference: 20 Years of Caring for Caregivers
The Caregiver Conference is FREE to the community and is made possible by Keiro along with support from our community partners, sponsors, donors, and volunteers.
For questions or concerns, please contact [email protected].