Party Animals. Mom sharing her enthusiasm with Betty.
2014 was celebrated at 3pm. Looking at these photos doesn’t capture much of the enthusiasm expressed — I actually saw some residents having fun and giving it their personal best to bring in another year. There have been several seasonal parties and it’s reached the point where Enough is Enough.
However, mom was looking forward to this party all morning. I’m not sure why but I was happy to see her excitement. The entire day was “Last Call” for Lucy and her crew but mom seems to be accepting the change with her usual resilience. She is already getting antiquated with the new girls and will hopefully be bonded and in a good new routine before I leave. She has now been living here for five months and is slowly getting to know some of the other residents. This is what I would like to see grow because her friends thus far have been Lucy Anna and Kendra.
Who’s having the most fun here? Party hats and balloons, live music, delicious food, and a midnight (3pm) countdown with Champagne.
Carmen has worked at the Villas for 17 years and is a joy.
The kitchen and dining room are the heartbeat of the Villas. The staff is personal and extremely accommodating given the number of “oldies” they are expected to please. Soup, salad and dinner rolls come with every meal and there are always two choices for the entrée, vegetables and dessert.
Far too much food served but I have recently learned this is actually to protect the management (Corporation) more than it is to feed the residents. If the State finds that residents from this type of establishment are dying or being admitted to hospital because of malnourishment they are watched more closely. It’s tricky because older people often don’t want to eat much or even eat at all. Piles of food are placed in front of them in high hopes of tempting them to eat as much as they can. It’s very hard for mom to see so much food wasted. She brings her leftovers back to her room— only to be thrown away later.