Wesley Palms Creates Monarch Haven for Butterflies

At a young age, Naomi Sobo loved animals. Her passion for conservation and saving endangered species continued to grow when she became a volunteer at the San Diego Zoo 25 years ago. There, she learned about endangered species and how to educate the public about how to help preserve these animals in the wild. Now, Naomi is known for her efforts in conservation and she is the spokesperson of the Wesley Palms Butterfly Garden Group. There, she helps spearhead the efforts to save a species c…

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Assisted Living at Wesley Palms is Truly Designed For You!

When Resident Cathy Doss needed additional assistance with daily activities such as medication management, housekeeping, laundry and dressing, she turned to Wesley Palms, a community she knew had a reputation for excellent care. In 2015, she moved into the "Courtyard," Wesley's assisted living accommodations dedicated to residents who need extra services. While continuing to live next to other residents who needed similar help, she was thrilled when Wesley Palms implemented a unique assi…

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Embrace the Five Pillars of Aging Well in Celebration of Healthy Aging Month

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can significantly improve an individual's quality of life. At our Front Porch retirement communities, we embrace a holistic approach to healthy aging and wellbeing that focuses on the mind, body, and spirit to help residents find meaning and enjoyment in life. In honor of Healthy Aging Month, September, 2020, these five pillars for healthy aging from Taunya Bachellor, Life Enrichment director at Wesley Palms can be implemented at any age. During the pandem…

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Residents Stories Shine During Video ‘Chit Chats’

You don't have to go to Hollywood to be on a talk show if you're a resident at Wesley Palms Retirement Community. In fact, fascinating interviews and conversations are had right on a residents' front porch. Welcome to "Front Porch Chit Chat," a video interview series produced by the Wesley Palms life enrichment team that takes a deep dive into the backgrounds, personalities and stories of residents. "Everyone has a story to tell," said Life Enrichment Specialist Zach Vandagrifft. "I c…

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On Forgiveness and Renewal

On the evening of September 18th, Jews throughout the world will begin celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. We will light the festival candles and say the Shechechiyanu blessing, in which we express our gratitude to God for allowing us to celebrate once again this holiday of hope and renewal.  We will bless the sweet wine and the round challah filled with raisins, a reminder of the circle of life.  We will also say a blessing over the apple cut into slices, which we dip int…

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Skype Socials Offers New Opportunities to Individuals with Dementia

Every Friday, Kristy and Jayn get together for a Skype video chat. The conversation drifts easily from stories about their families to reflections on their very different upbringings, and then, always, to their mutual passion: cooking. But what makes this conversation somewhat unique is that Jayn has dementia and is living in a memory care neighborhood and Kristy is a 20-something graduate student. Kristy connected with Jayn, who lives at Summer House at Wesley Palms, through …

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How I Found My Joy

I used to live in a state of inarticulate mourning. Except for my children, I had little to show. My life felt empty and without further meaning. I was a stranger to myself. Good fortune led me to discover photography as a medium. Morrie Camhi, a photography instructor, became my mentor. His profound sense of empathy, his training and sensitive guidance, provided the trust by which I could reveal myself in a series of self-portraits. Photography became the way to explore and transform, t…

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The Way It Is: The Bird’s Eye View From Ninety

Since my sky diving adventure, friends and kin have praised me for being courageous. I don’t see it that way. Yes, I am of a “certain age” as they say, but every resident at Wesley Palms knows about being “courageous” in so many ways. We all have reached a stage in life where we experience things that require a great deal of strength -- struggle daily through pain of body and pain of losses. It takes effort. It takes courage. If you are a senior, you know w…

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Love, Laugh, Pray

THOSE THREE WORDS are one of the signs I have posted on the door of my suite here at Wesley Palms. Laugh, Love and Pray. That pretty well sums up my philosophy of life. The other sign on my door is a note to God, telling Him that I am ready, but in no hurry. I celebrated my 99th birthday last month, but am in no rush to move on quite yet. I grew up out in the country in Orange County, California in an area that later became Disneyland. Those were the years of the Great Depression. We were …

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