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The Motion Picture &Amp; Television Fund Looks Toward the Future of Senior Care With Opening of The Saban Center for Health and Wellness

Posted on: Wednesday, 18 July 2007, 15:14 CDT

The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF), the entertainment industry's premier health and social services charity, today officially opened the doors to The Saban Center for Health and Wellness on its Wasserman Campus. The facility is a state-of-the-art therapy and wellness center that will drive MPTF's new focus on healthy aging, serving the 400 residents who live at the retirement community as well as the thousands of entertainment industry seniors who live throughout Southern California.

The dedication ceremony was held this morning at the new facility and attended by a standing-room-only crowd of celebrities, political figures, entertainment industry executives and other luminaries. Among those present for the grand opening were Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Dr. Cheryl and Haim Saban, Jodie Foster, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Frank Mancuso.

"The Saban Center for Health and Wellness represents an opportunity for MPTF to evolve from a predominantly internal residential focus into an outward, community-centered vision," said David Tillman, M.D., president and CEO of the Motion Picture & Television Fund. "70 years ago, MPTF took the initiative to create an environment where entertainment industry seniors could live comfortably and receive the best possible care. Today marks the launch of a new vision that will enable thousands of seniors in the community to remain independent in their own homes while still receiving quality care and attention."

The center was made possible through the generosity of Dr. Cheryl and Haim Saban in the form of a grant from the Saban Family Foundation. The Sabans are strong supporters of healthcare and education and hope to inspire others to join the philanthropic world.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to share in such an exciting vision. This center will provide members of the MPTF community with enhanced services and educational programs to meet their expanding and changing needs," said Haim Saban. "By engaging members in a healthy lifestyle management, this center will directly affect the quality of life of those who rely on MPTF, and as the health needs of the Age Wave are becoming a growing concern for our nation as a whole, we hope that this center will inspire others to work towards solutions for care."

The Saban Center for Health and Wellness will feature an aquatic therapy pool for exercise, rehabilitation and exercise, which was funded by a donation from Academy Award(R)-winning actress Jodie Foster. The facility will also include a high-tech fitness gym, physical and occupational therapies, health assessments and education and wellness classes offered in a modern community room.

"Providing excellent care and service for our aging population is both noble and visionary," said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "The City of Los Angeles commends the Motion Picture & Television Fund and the Saban Family Foundation for setting a grand example with the opening of The Saban Center for Health and Wellness."

The Saban Center for Health and Wellness will enable MPTF to better handle the rapidly increasing senior population by better engaging seniors in healthy lifestyle management and improving their quality of life, extending the organization's services to meet the changing needs of seniors throughout the greater Los Angeles area, providing end-of-life care to seniors in their own homes and building an even stronger volunteer network to help seniors deal with the challenges of aging in their own homes.

The Saban Family Foundation was created by Dr. Cheryl and Haim Saban to support the healthy development of children and families in the United States and to identify and address unmet societal needs in Israel. Based on the belief that in order to reach their full potential, young people need healthy starts, caring adults, safe spaces, education for marketable skills, and opportunities to contribute to their communities, The Foundation provides grants for a select number of organizations engaged in providing high-quality healthcare, social services, and K-12 education. Since its establishment, the Foundation has committed to such worthy organizations as the Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, the Motion Picture & Television Fund, the Children's Hospital at Soroka University Medical Center in Be'er Sheva and Friends of Israel Defense Forces. Based in Los Angeles, the Foundation is led by Executive Director Dr. Cheryl Saban.

The Saban Center for Health and Wellness was planned and designed by SmithGroup, one of the largest architecture and engineering firms in the nation. SmithGroup's California-based team designed a hybrid building combining state-of-the-art land and water therapy and fitness programs in one facility. Sightlines were designed to motivate engagement in the full spectrum of therapies: The building's L shape and full-height glass walls enable those utilizing one program to see the activities of the other. Natural light permeates both water and land programs, which open to outdoor gardens on either side. The building design is flexible, allowing for expansion and integration of current and future land and water therapy programs.

Matt Construction, a leading Southern California contractor, completed construction on the two-story facility. Matt Construction offers a full range of pre-construction and general construction services for projects in California and Nevada. The company is headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, Calif., and also has full service offices in Las Vegas, Fresno and Westlake Village. Matt Construction's portfolio is diverse, with projects ranging from new construction, historical renovations and seismic upgrades to institutional buildings, schools, office structures, hotels, entertainment complexes, retail stores, restaurants and industrial - mixed use.

For more than 85 years, the Motion Picture & Television Fund has been a non-profit organization that serves California's entertainment community. It provides healthcare, retirement care, childcare and charitable social services with compassion and respect for the dignity of the whole person. Charity has always remained at the heart of the Motion Picture & Television Fund. For more information about MPTF visit www.mptvfund.org.

 Contact: Steve Honig The Honig Company, Inc. 818-986-4300 Email Contact

SOURCE: Motion Picture & Television Fund

Source: MARKET WIRE

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