May Happenings at JGS Lifecare

As April gave way to May, our residents are enjoying outdoor activities such as making pinecone, peanut butter and birdseed treats, along with stringing cheerios for our birds to enjoy!
The trees have filled in and the flowers are blooming with color. Our campus is such a beautiful sight! Special thank you to Mike Cinq-Mars for his donation of the spring flowers. They really brighten the entryway to the Leavitt Family Jewish Home. Mike has been donating flowers to help beautify our campus for many years. It is one way he continues to show his appreciation for the care his beloved wife Jean received at the Home. Thank you, Mike!
Our Veterans enjoyed their May visit from Veteran friends in the community. These monthly visits are coordinated through the efforts of Cheryl Gumlaw, Director of our Life Enrichment team, and Lena Vellturo, Director of Veteran’s Services for the Town of Longmeadow. These gatherings are highly anticipated by our residents and have fostered many new and special friendships. Thank you, Cheryl and Lena!
It’s always fun when Tom Riccardi of the Massachusetts Birds of Prey Rehab Facility in Conway comes to visit. Tom brought several magnificent birds to meet our residents. A few enjoyed holding the smaller birds. What a treat for our residents to get so close to these gorgeous creatures.
A generous donation by Naomi Schoenberg’s family was made in honor of Naomi’s 95th birthday, which allowed our Life Enrichment Department to purchase musical instruments for our residents. The donation was made to the Broad Schoenberg Fund, a restricted fund for the purpose of supporting Life Enrichment Activities, including our Caring Friend Program. Each of our nursing households was outfitted with new keyboards, bongo drums, percussion instruments, and xylophones. The Schoenberg family enjoys a great appreciation for the healing power of music, therefore purchasing these musical instruments genuinely resonated with them. Music therapy has many benefits for our residents and is one of their favorite pastimes. As a result, we have scheduled weekly “Jam Sessions.” Residents enjoy sing-a-longs with Lisa Pernice and our staff. Thank you to Naomi’s family for these truly wonderful gifts!