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Since residents and staff have received their second COVID-19 vaccine, the sounds of laughter and socializing are resuming at The Palace Coral Gables, the luxury active retirement community in the heart of Coral Gables.
While activities during the COVID-19 lockdown and subsequent months of the pandemic never stopped, they were geared to keeping residents safely within their residences.
Entertainment, educational lectures, fitness classes and more were televised throughout the day and into the evening via the community’s in-house TV channel. The onsite restaurant packaged and delivered meals to each residence as well.
“Now that more than 80 percent of the residents have received the vaccine, our group activities have resumed,” said Pamela Parker, social director for the community. “We are adhering to the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) by practicing social distancing, and everyone is still required to wear a mask. Group activities are limited to no more than 10 people, and if an activity is popular, we’ll add another session to accommodate everyone. Residents are cautious, but are very optimistic in returning to programs they previously enjoyed.”
For example, this month, the “Illuminate Coral Gables” exhibition will be enjoyed by residents when they hop aboard The Palace jitney. They’ll tour the streets, historic buildings and public spaces which have been turned into a brilliant outdoor museum and three-dimensional canvas. They’ll be appropriately glowing too, wearing illuminated necklaces.
Crafting classes such as jewelry designing, flower arranging and watercolor painting require signing up in advance. These activities bring people so much satisfaction and are geared to projects that can be completed in one sitting.
The Palace always has been known for nightly happy hours and these have resumed as well.
“It gives residents the feeling that their life has been restored,” Parker said. “They’ve been so amazingly resilient. Enjoying live entertainment and seeing their neighbors is very meaningful.”
Much to residents’ delight are plans for St. Patrick’s Day and Passover. Every holiday has always been special at The Palace, but these two holidays are steeped in traditions. The St. Patrick’s Day cocktail party will have Irish-inspired hors d’oeuvres, green beer and festive shenanigans. A bagpipe player and flutist will be on hand, playing traditional Gaelic tunes for residents’ enjoyment.
To start Passover, residents will enjoy a traditional Passover Seder. It will be an abbreviated Seder and each table will have a Seder plate with an Elijah’s cup. Residents have an opportunity to read different portions and prayers from the Passover story, which retells the Biblical story of the Jewish people being freed from slavery in Egypt. Last year, the community marked the holiday by delivering a “Seder in a Box” to each resident with all of the traditional foods, matzo, a Seder plate and wine.
The Palace’s partnership with the University of Miami’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute has been among the most popular educational opportunities offered to residents and their families. The ongoing, twice-a-week lectures have utilized Zoom and the event links are provided to families.
“What a difference one year makes,” Parker added. “Everyone greatly appreciates the opportunity to come together again. We’re looking forward to the time when families can return as well.”
The Palace Coral Gables is an independent and assisted living community for active retirement living with luxurious amenities and services. To learn more, call 305-445-7444 or to view a list of The Palace Group’s senior living communities, visit www.ThePalace.org.
