Page 14 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - July '22

Page 14, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
Palm Beach Gardens Memorial Day Ceremony

Photos by Penny Sheltz
Palm Beach Gardens
Memorial Day Ceremony
was held inside on May
30 as rain and lightning
threatened.
Honored was World War
II veteran, Julius Duhl. He
is 98 years old and was a
photographer in the Battle
of the Bulge Signal Corp.
His leg was wounded in a
tank explosion.
Julius loves to dance
and can be seen each
Thursday night on the
dance floor at Palm Beach
Resort on Singer Island
dancing with the ladies.
Julius was honored
as the oldest veteran at
the Palm Beach Gardens Support Groups At La Posada
Memorial Day ceremony
with the mayor, council
people, a brass band and Address Mental And Emotional
color guard.
Needs Of Senior Residents

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the conversation
surrounding mental health and emotional wellness has evolved to
address the increased need for resources to combat this issue. While
the conversation around mental health has increased drastically,
many seniors are still feeling the effects of the pandemic. As one
of the largest demographics in the U.S., seniors are an increasingly
important component to the challenges of mental health, yet they
are frequently left out of the discussion.
However, La Posada, a senior living community located in the
heart of Palm Beach Gardens, is looking to change the conversation
about mental health for seniors. With feelings of isolation and
anxiety exacerbated by the pandemic, more seniors than ever
are reporting struggling with their mental and emotional health.
To confront this issue, La Posada has developed several men’s
and women’s groups within the community that aim to provide
comfort, guidance and social connection for any resident who
needs additional support. “Obtaining and maintaining friendships as an older adult is vital
As a Kisco senior living community, La Posada encourages their to overall quality of life,” says Rick Minichino, director of wellness
residents to master the Art of Living Well, a lifestyle philosophy at La Posada. “Especially during periods of time where seniors are
ingrained in daily life within the community through programming feeling isolated, these topics are important to discuss to ensure our
and amenities that allow residents to master multiple dimensions of residents always have the support they need in their corner.”
wellness including intellectual stimulation, culture and so much more. Since these programs have been implemented, more residents
It is this philosophy that laid the groundwork for the initial than ever are facilitating and developing friendships and their own
implementation of La Posada’s senior support groups. Noel social groups. Residents within the community have bonded closely
Trachtenberg, resident and previous Chair of the Independent within their structured discussions, prompting them to extend those
Living Health Committee at La Posada, first spurred the idea after friendships into attending events and activities within the community
noticing a need for residents within the community to develop together, and even forming their own support groups. Additionally,
deeper social connections and friendships during the height of the La Posada team is exploring options to make these meetings
the pandemic. Although certain restrictions were lifted by the end even more accessible across the community by offering sessions
of 2020, Trachtenberg and the committee recognized that many over Zoom for residents who are unable to attend in person.
residents had continued to self-isolate for months. “At La Posada, we are constantly striving to find new
“We recognized the necessity to form support groups for our ways to enhance our resident’s wellbeing,” says Brad Cadiere,
fellow residents,” says Trachtenberg. “In addition to effects from the executive director at La Posada. “The introduction of this type
pandemic, we realized many residents needed support, especially if of programming is more vital than ever, and we are already able
they were recently widowed or had a spouse in memory care.” to observe the lasting, positive impact it is having throughout the
community.”
In addition to support groups, La Posada provides monthly
wellness calendars filled with over 40 activities a week that address
multiple facets of wellness, including mental, physical, emotional,
social, financial, and more. For example, residents who would like
to focus on mental wellness may choose to participate in such
experiences as support groups, social hours, discussion groups,
and many other activities.
“One of the aspects that makes life special at La Posada is our
holistic culture surrounding wellness,” says Minichino. “We are
committed to offering experiences that interest and inspire our
residents every day.”

La Posada currently facilitates four groups for residents, two
women’s groups and two men’s groups, with various levels of
structure for mental and emotional wellness. The Women’s Circles
are guided by DeeAnn Vera, a professional who first began working
with the community to bring new and unique classes that allowed
residents to explore their creativity. While conducting these classes,
Vera took notice of an untapped potential to further connect women
within the community on a more intentional level.
Since the beginning of the women’s circles, Vera has used her
background in counseling to guide the group discussions, enabling
the female residents to be social and have fun, all while creating a
safe space for them to address topics that affect most seniors, such
as downsizing, grief, community living, and sense of purpose.
Similarly, the men’s groups are directed by Dr. Andrea Stripling,
a local clinical psychologist in West Palm Beach. In addition to If you are interested in learning more about life at
designating a space for the male residents to interact and bond, La Posada, join us for a special event in partnership
these groups were created to clear the way for conversations that with Sutter & Nugent on July 19, 2022 at 2:00pm.
are not typical among men’s usual social circles. While seniors of During the event, attendees will experience the award-
both sexes experience comparable issues, in general, men usually winning amenities and service that make La Posada
have a more difficult time – sharing emotions and discussing more
vulnerable topics. special. Space is limited, so call (561) 475.3386 or
visit mylaposada.com to reserve your seat.
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