More than 150 residents, family and friends were expected to attend the Fiesta at the Laurel Center on Saturday, May 16, for a Tex-Mex themed lunch and festivities.
Vanessa Hernandez, a Social Worker at the Center, confirmed that “it’s very good for mood to come out here, enjoying the music and the food. It brings our team together too. Everyone is definitely here for the residents.”
Music with a Mexican flair was played throughout the Laurel Center, both inside and outside, as staff brought residents to the pavilion, and family and friends walked across the parking lot to gather for food and fellowship. Many sombreros and other fiesta headgear were donned to add fun to the day and volunteers and staff operated a photo both to commemorate the event.
Glenn Pritchard was in attendance to perform songs appropriate for the age group, which he described as “The Bonds of Music,” predominantly music from the 1940s and 1950s.
Marc Heil, the Assistant Administrator of the Laurel Center, confirmed that Pritchard’s performance “is never the same show twice!”
The Saturday Fiesta was held in conjunction with the fiesta theme celebrated by National Nursing Home Week. The residents of the Laurel Center celebrated throughout the week by sampling different foods and even non-alcoholic Margaritas.
Chef Manager Rob D’Orsi was serving chicken fajitas for the Saturday picnic lunch, but said that his food selections are broad enough for everyone to enjoy, stating “sometimes they’re not as daring!”
Residents made crafts that were based on the Mexican culture and some of those crafts were included in decorating the pavilion for the Fiesta event.
Steven Zablocki has been the Nursing Home Administrator at the Laurel Center for 12 years and feels strongly that the Center’s rating as a five star facility by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is a reflection that the staff is there “to do right for the residents.”
The Laurel Center is comprised of people living in the personal care home, skilled nursing, and the ventilator unit, as well as those temporary residents who are there for short term rehabilitation due to a joint replacement or the aftereffects of a fall.
Zablocki and Hernandez both explained that all residents are encouraged to participate in activities like the Fiesta and the upcoming summer picnics.
Zablocki stated that an end of summer gathering is planned to include family and friends at the Laurel Center.
