December 2015
December 2015
December
Employee of the Month
So many people wonder why the Life
Enrichment Department plays bingo so much.
First and foremost the residents “love it”.
Another very important reason is it improves the
cognition in seniors. A 2012 study, published
in Aging, Neuropsychology and Cognition, tested
various types of bingo cards to find out which
aided perception in seniors with diminished
cognitive function. They found that the largest
cards with largest type and highest contrast
improved playing performance among this
group. This increased cognition was also
translatable to other activities. In fact, with the
changes to the cards, those with mild dementia
were able to perform as well at the game as
seniors without dementia. Beyond this research,
experts have long been aware that games like
bingo not only help keep all seniors mentally
sharp, but provide the social interaction that’s
also important for staving off depression and
premature cognitive decline. Connecting with
others gives seniors a sense of purpose and
gives them something to look forward to.
According to a study published in the Journal of
Health and Social Behavior, seniors who have
social interaction have a much slower mental
and physical decline than those who do not.
The Life Enrichment
Department is in need of quarters for our
quarter bingo. Please make donations to
Karen, Erin or Sarah.
Betty Is the front desk receptionist. She is originally
from Pennsylvania. She lives in Sun City with her
husband. She has 6 children. Two years ago Betty
came out of retirement and worked as a part time
receptionist at Palm Garden. When a full time
position became available they asked Betty to be our
full time receptionist. Betty does much more than
answer the phone, she is the go to person for many of
our families and residents because of her being the
first person you see when you walk in the community.
Thank you Betty for all you do to help our community
run smoothly. We appreciate all you do
The Palm Garden Post
Palm Garden of Sun City Center 3850 Upper Creek Drive, Sun City, Florida 33573
Management Team
Lindsay Eisel
Executive Director
Pam Sweat
Director of Clinical Services
Lisa Batchelder
Asst. Dir. of Clinical Services
Deb Meissen
Bella Vista West Unit Manager
Patti Clifford
Bella Vista East Unit Manager
Heather Criscione
Director of Quality Assurance
Christmas Decorations
Dave Steele
Culinary Services Director
The state of Florida has codes for holiday decorations.
It has been brought to our attendtion that some
Florida communities have been cited for violations in
this area.. Please see Jim O’Conner the maintenance
director prior to decorating for the holidays so we can
be in compliance with the state guidelines in this area.
Lisa Housel
Director of Rehab
Michelle Verstrate
Social Services Director
After hours & weekends Funds are available at the
reception’s desk Emergency funds are available at
the Nurse’s station if no receptionist is on duty.
In 167 BC, Jerusalem was under the rule of the Greeks. The Greeks
were trying to convert the Jews from Judaism to Hellenism, which
follows the many gods and goddesses in the Greek pantheon. Greek
emperor Antiochus IV decreed that practicing Judaism was punishable
by death. He put a statue—or idol—of the Roman god Zeus in the
Jewish temple, and ordered sacrifices to be made in the altar at its feet.
When confronted by a Greek soldier at one of these altars, Jewish High
Priest Mattathias Maccabee refused to comply. When another Jewish
villager stepped forward to honor the statue, Mattathias killed both the
Greek officer and the “idolater” with a sword. Mattathias’ five sons came
to his aid—beginning a revolt against the Greeks. Thanks to these
daring individuals, the Jews eventually won their freedom to again
publicly worship their God.
Albert Holton
Environmental Services
But by then, the temple had been “defiled.” Mattathias’ son, Judas
Maccabee, set out to rededicate the temple using a jar of ritually pure oil
to light a makeshift menorah. Pure oil is made from the first pressing of
olives; the oil is blessed and sealed by a high priest. Alas, only one
small jar of oil, enough for just one day, was found. Legend has it that
this one jar burned miraculously for eight days, long enough for new
supplies of pure oil to arrive. That’s why the story of Hanukkah is not
only a story of a war for religious freedom but also of “the miracle of the
oil.”
Jim O Connor
Maintenance Director
From this eight-day miracle comes an eight-day Jewish celebration.
From that eight-day celebration comes the tradition of lighting a menorah
each night of Hanukkah.
Cindy Holmers
Social Service Assistant
Resident Trust Banking Hours
Monday – Friday 9:00am – 4:30pm
Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights and commemoration of the
rededication of the
Holy Temple in Jerusalem, runs for eight days from sundown
Sunday, December 6, to sundown Monday, December 14. Why eight
days and nights? The answer is simple. Oil. The story behind the oil,
however, is a little more complicated.
Karen Birbeck
Life Enrichment Director
Kourtney Thurber
Business Office Manager