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Community Corner

Original 'Gidget' Attends Unveiling of Memory Care Neighborhood

The new neighborhood within the Huntington Terrace senior living community will serve seniors suffering from Dementia and their families.

Do you remember Gidget?

This past week, the original Gidget, alongside jamming surf band The Breakaways, recently attended the unveiling of Connections for Living by MBK, a new memory care neighborhood within Huntington Terrace, an established senior living community Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and the surrounding region.

The real-life Gidget, whose actual name is Kathy Kohner-Zuckerman, is acknowledged as the first female longboarder whose childhood on the beaches of Malibu inspired a book, three films and the celebrated TV show.

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The fundraiser benefited the Alzheimer’s Association.

The Breakaways, a popular band whose music is inspired by the surf culture and lifestyle, performed numerous hits for guests while Gidget shared her inspirational stories about “Living Your Passion at Any Age.” 

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Ronnie Guyer, Senior Field Representative for Assemblyman Jim Silva, presented Huntington Terrace with an official proclamation in regards to the contribution they make to area seniors and their families.

Located in Huntington Beach, the signature memory care neighborhood is designed for elders and their families living with dementia. The money raised will help to meet the current high demand for special assistance and programming for those diagnosed and who also require residence within a senior living community.

Designed to enhance the quality of life of its elder residents living with dementia, the newly unveiled neighborhood will start serving residents as soon as October, and is part of the existing Huntington Terrace senior living community, which is currently home to many former Fountain Valley seniors.

“Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death among seniors nationally and the fourth leading cause in Orange County. The escalation of the disease greatly increases the need for facilities such as these,” said Joan Minami, Alzheimer’s Association Corporate Relations Coordinator.

The new neighborhood includes eight private and 10 semi-private suites, each supported by a personalized program aimed at promoting and maintaining a high quality of life. The innovative neighborhood provides the highest quality of care while also reconnecting residents to life through an emphasis on physical wellness, a safe and stimulating environment, personal enrichment and family involvement. 

During the recent fundraiser and unveiling event, guests from the community were able to walkthrough and experience the new neighborhood and purchase signed copies of the most recent release of the book “Gidget” by Frederick Kohner. The combined proceeds of $3,125 were donated to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Huntington Terrace and the new Connections for Living by MBK memory care neighborhood are located at 18800 Florida Street in Huntington Beach. For more information about Alzheimer's and related dementias, call the Alzheimer's Association at 800.272.3900 or www.alz.org.

-- Article courtsey of Julie Fornaro, NewGround PR & Marketing, jfornaro@newgroundco.com

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