Pasadena Senior Center To Honor Health Champions

The Pasadena Senior Center will recognize two distinguished healthcare professionals for their outstanding contributions to the well-being of older adults as part of its 65th anniversary celebration. Laura Mosqueda, M.D., and Kathy Eastwood, R.N., will be honored at a private club in Pasadena on Oct. 19 for their commitment to aging with dignity, health, and empowerment.

“As we celebrate this milestone, we recognize those who have profoundly shaped the lives of seniors through their dedication and expertise,” said Akila Gibbs, Executive Director of the Pasadena Senior Center. “Mosqueda and Eastwood have tirelessly worked to enhance the health, knowledge, and well-being of older adults, making a lasting impact in our community.”

Kathy Eastwood brings over 40 years of experience in critical care and senior wellness as a community outreach nurse at Huntington Health. For more than 15 years, she has supported older adults at the Pasadena Senior Center through essential health programs including monthly screening clinics for hypertension and diabetes, chair yoga sessions, annual health fairs, and the Diabetes Education and Empowerment Series.

Her work through Huntington Health’s Community Outreach Program has provided comprehensive health services to the community at no cost. These efforts have empowered hundreds of individuals with pre-diabetes and diabetes to better manage their health and maintain active lifestyles.

Laura Mosqueda serves as a Professor of Family Medicine and Geriatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. As a leading authority in elder care and abuse prevention, her work as a clinician, researcher, and educator has shaped national policies promoting the health, dignity, and rights of older adults. She also volunteers as a long-term care ombudsman and serves as Senior Advisor to the National Center on Elder Abuse.

“It has been an honor to serve and advocate for older adults,” said Mosqueda. “Collaborating with the Pasadena Senior Center has reinforced my belief that communities thrive when we support and uplift those who have spent their lives contributing to society.”

The October event represents a significant milestone for the Pasadena Senior Center, which has operated as a cornerstone of support for older adults for 65 years. As a donor-supported nonprofit, the center operates without any local, state, or federal funding and provides more services to older adults in the San Gabriel Valley than any other organization.

The Pasadena Senior Center continues its mission to improve the lives of older adults through social interaction opportunities, fitness programs, basic support services, education, volunteerism, and community activism. With 10,000 Americans becoming older adults daily, the center remains a leader in addressing aging issues through innovative, nationally recognized programs.

The Pasadena Senior Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. To learn more, visit www.pasadenaseniorcenter.org or call 626-795-4331.