A dream was fulfilled for Bonnie Curkin when she opened Bubbe and Zayde’s, a home to meet the needs of elderly Jewish seniors. “I actually lived with my residents for the first four years,” she delights in reporting.
Curkin opened the first Bubbe and Zayde’s in 1998. “It was my desire to have a place where the elderly could live in a home where people understood and catered to their needs,” she stated. “We believe that all seniors should be treated with love, respect and dignity,” she added.
Over the years Bubbe & Zayde’s began to expand, eventually including an additional five adjoining homes a few blocks away from the original one in Santa Ana, creating a separate campus connected by backyards. Here, through social interaction, seniors socialize, celebrate holidays with their community and enjoy outings to fairs and restaurants.
Today Bubbe & Zayde’s Place offers a holistic approach to meeting the various and constantly changing needs of seniors. It strives to provide the best care possible for allowing the residents to maintain their sense of independence while also feeling like part of a community. According to Curkin, it combines culture and tradition with premiere senior services to create a comfortable family setting that residents call home, offering care for both the body and soul.
“I hope that Bubbe and Zayde’s Place will continue to grow, providing our families with love, dignity, respect and caring,” Curkin said.
According to administrator Shimon Kagan, residents join in a variety of outings including attending the Israel Expo sponsored by Jewish Federation & Family Services, eating at Chinese restaurants and going out for ice cream. They participate in such activities as poker, bingo and music appreciation concerts. Bubbe and Zayde’s stated goal is to “combine culture and tradition, offering care for body and soul, to meet changing needs and maintain a sense of independence while feeling like a part of the community.”
There are as many as six residents in each of the homes. Bubbe and Zayde’s is located at 1534 E. 21st St., Santa Ana 92705; phone: (714) 528-5030.