Save Silverado Beach Cities Memory Care — Protect Dementia Residents from Displacement and Preserve Specialized Dementia Care in the Beach Cities

This petition opposes the proposed displacement of approximately 100
residents living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia from the
Silverado Beach Cities Memory Care community.

This decision affects current residents, their families, approximately 100 staff members,
and Beach Cities residents who may need access to high-acuity dementia care in the
future.

What is happening

For the past 18 years, Silverado Beach Cities has served local residents and families as
a specialized dementia care community on the Beach Cities Health District (BCHD)
campus in Redondo Beach. BCHD has been exploring redevelopment plans for a future
Healthy Living Campus that would eventually involve removal of the 514 N. Prospect
building which houses Silverado.

As recently as early 2026, BCHD was engaged in negotiations with Mar Venture/Continental for development of the Healthy Living Campus. That proposed development included Silverado as part of an integrated campus plan, demonstrating that BCHD had previously considered preserving Silverado onsite during
redevelopment.

On December 23, 2025, a letter was sent to families on BCHD letterhead and signed by the CEO stating:

“For families who are considering a move into Silverado Memory Care at Beach Cities
today, please know that you can do so with confidence. Residents who move in now will
be secure in their care and will continue to have access to a Silverado bed throughout
the redevelopment process… Choosing memory care for a loved one is a significant
and often emotional decision. I hope this letter provides reassurance that Silverado is a trusted partner we have worked with for more than 18 years, that their presence on the Beach Cities Campus is intentional and valued, and that families can feel secure choosing Silverado Memory Care now and into the future.”

Families made deeply consequential placement decisions based on those assurances. 

 

In March 2026, BCHD announced that negotiations with Mar Venture/Continental had become “complex” and instead executed a nonbinding Letter of Intent with Sunrise
Senior Living.

At the April 22, 2026 BCHD Board meeting, the CEO stated that he would recommend
at the May meeting that the Board approve the land lease agreement with Sunrise and

vote to terminate their lease with Silverado. Silverado would have a minimum 365-day period to transition residents to new locations under a rent-free clause included in the lease agreement.

Why this matters

For individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, stability of care is clinically essential. 

 

Relocating people with dementia is associated with measurable harm, including
increased falls, hospitalizations, and elevated mortality. The most important protective factor is stable caregiving relationships and a consistent care environment.

Not all memory care is equal, and Silverado provides a level of care not available in
general memory care settings.

What makes Silverado different

• A dementia-specific care model rather than a generalized assisted living model with a
memory care unit
• 24-hour licensed nursing presence, enabling proactive medical and behavioral
management rather than reactive care
• Mandatory dementia-specific certification and ongoing annual training for all staff,
significantly exceeding typical memory care requirements
• Ability to safely care for higher-acuity residents with complex behavioral symptoms who are often unable to be retained in standard memory care settings
• An integrated approach to care and environment that focuses on keeping residents oriented, engaged, and stable rather than only providing supervision

 

Many residents in this community were unable to remain in other memory care settings due to the complexity of their needs. Silverado is specifically designed to support
individuals with higher levels of cognitive and behavioral need, allowing them to live with
stability and dignity.

Silverado’s care model is associated with significantly lower hospitalization rates than
typical memory care settings, approximately 4% compared to industry averages of
approximately 20–24%.

This level of care cannot be replicated through relocation to standard memory care
settings.

Why placement assistance is not a sufficient solution

At this time, there is no equivalent local capacity within the Beach Cities or immediate surrounding region capable of absorbing the current Silverado Beach Cities resident population at the same level of specialized dementia care that these residents require.

 

While the BCHD has offered to assist in placement and has referenced multiple
Silverado facilities within a 60-mile radius, this would require residents to be dispersed
across many different facilities. This would disrupt established caregiving relationships
and significantly reduce family access. For many families, especially elderly spouses
and caregivers, the distance, traffic conditions, and travel time make sustained
involvement in care impractical and, in many cases, effectively impossible.

Family involvement is a critical component of dementia care and depends heavily on
geographic proximity and the ability to maintain consistent in-person engagement.

Call to action

Sign this petition to request that the BCHD Board Members vote NO on the
proposed lease with Sunrise Senior Living and the displacement of Silverado Beach
Cities residents from their campus. Protect these vulnerable residents and
preserve access to specialized local memory care for future residents.

If you are able, we encourage you to:
• Share this petition with others in the Beach Cities community
• Contact the BCHD Board members

jane.diehl@bchd.org
noel.chun@bchd.org
vanessa.poster@bchd.org
martha.koo@bchd.org
michelle.bholat@bchd.org

 

NO DONATIONS NEEDED.

 

Petition Statement

This petition is brought forward by family members of current Silverado Beach Cities
residents, in support of all Silverado residents and the broader Beach Cities community.

 

Petition Organizers

 

Michelle Charfen, MD — Emergency medicine physician who has practiced in the South Bay for 25 years. Her father is a current resident at Silverado Beach Cities Memory Care. Dr. Charfen is deeply concerned about the loss of this specialized dementia care resource for current residents, their families, and future community members who may one day depend on this level of care.

 

Nicole Purohit — Daughter of a current Silverado resident who was unable to remain in other local memory care facilities due to behaviors associated with dementia. She understands firsthand that even common behavioral aspects of dementia can exceed what many facilities are equipped to safely manage, and the difficulty families face in finding specialized dementia care that can meet these needs.

 

Jennifer Aust — Daughter of current Silverado resident Pat Aust, who previously served on the BCHD Board and also served the City of Redondo Beach for decades as Fire Chief and City Councilmember. Jennifer has serious concerns about the loss of a community resource that allows families to remain closely involved in the daily care and stability of their loved ones.

 

Christian Horvath — Family member of a current Silverado resident and former Redondo Beach City Councilmember representing District 3, which includes the BCHD campus. He has long supported the mission of BCHD and the concept of a Healthy Living Campus, but believes alternative redevelopment approaches should be considered that preserve this vital dementia care resource for the community.

 

Contact

 

To contact petition organizers, email SaveSilveradoBeachCities@gmail.com

 

NO DONATIONS NEEDED. 

 

Correction/Update: This petition was originally created on 5/7 using the term “eviction” based on the understanding at that time. On 5/8, after clarification that the action under discussion is a notice of lease termination rather than an eviction, the language was updated to reflect this distinction.