Alzheimer’s center celebrates 10 years

This July marked the 10-year anniversary of the existence of Alzheimer’s Family Services Center in Huntington Beach.

The facility, specially tailored to help those with dementia as well as their families, celebrated its landmark month with a reception July 14. Many who made the facility possible, such as Michael Stephens, former president and chief executive of Hoag Hospital Memorial Presbyterian, attended the celebration.

When the facility opened in July 1999, it served about 37 people daily. Now, it cares for about 90 daily, said Anita Lambert, director of development and communications. Through its outreach and education services, the center serves more than 10,000 people annually throughout Orange County, Executive Director Cordula Dick-Muehlke said.

The facility is the only state-designated Alzheimer’s day-care resource center in Orange County, Lambert said. With a ratio of one caretaker to every five participants, the center provides quality hands-on care, Lambert emphasized. The center’s goal is “to keep them [participants] from being institutionalized as long as possible,” she added.

— Kathryn Watson