Celebrate the month of May with us here at The Encore!
#RecreationRocks
Events are subject to change. Please contact our Therapeutic Recreation Department for more information on our monthly events!
May 5 – Cinco de Mayo
This is Cinco de Mayo, celebrated by people of all races and backgrounds around the world. Residents will celebrate this familiar Mexican holiday; some of you might be eagerly looking forward to it, and others might be awaiting the festivities without really knowing why you are partaking. If you are unaware of the significance of Cinco de Mayo and why it occurs annually, here is a quick refresher on its origins so you and your friends know how to observe the holiday respectfully. Be careful not to stereotype Mexicans with sombreros and mustaches.
Our Residents will be celebrating with Margaritas in the afternoon while listening to the tunes of Mr. Phil Stevens. Phil is a favorite of our residents. He has performed here for years. His band, Cool Waters, has also performed at other extraordinary events. Learn the history of the holiday! Cinco de Mayo commemorates the victory of the Mexican army over the French in the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It is a true underdog story as the Mexican army was severely outnumbered by the French. The victory is celebrated in the Mexican state of Puebla, where the event took place, but not in the rest of the country. The event led to the “Porfirio”—a term given to the period of General Porfirio Diaz’s presidency. This was an era of dictatorial rule in which Mexico achieved economic growth but had serious social ills, such as exploitation, child labor, and peasant indebtedness. This series of events led to the Mexican Revolution in 1910. In 1861, Mexican President Benito Juárez stopped making interest payments to Mexico’s creditors.
Although England worked diplomatically with Mexico to work out its problems, France’s Emperor Napoleon III decided to invade Mexico and force repayment. This invasion was a clear violation of the United States’ Monroe Doctrine — which stated that any attempts by European nations to colonize or interfere with states in the Americas would be viewed as acts of aggression — but by this time, the United States had its hands full with its own Civil War. So, for the time being, Mexico was on its own. Fast forward to the 1960s, when Chicano activists in the United States revived the holiday as a call for solidarity in the Civil Rights movement.
Mother’s Day
On Sunday, Mother’s Day, May 10, at 2:30 pm, residents will enjoy fresh cheesecake and Wes Anthony’s music. Invite your families to attend our events. Mother’s Day was started by the daughter of Anne Jarvis. Ann Maria Reeves Jarvis (1832–1905) bore more than a dozen children, but lost most of them to disease. Jarvis worked hard in her West Virginia community to try to help other mothers and families avoid the tragedies she had suffered. Part of a national public health movement, Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Work Clubs” and promoted special days when they would collaboratively collect trash and undertake other projects to improve local environmental conditions and their neighbors’ understanding of hygiene. After the Civil War broke out, Jarvis insisted that local groups help both Confederate and Union troops who were sick or wounded, and she worked to promote peace and unity following the war, including by organizing a “Mother’s Friendship Day.” After Ann Jarvis’ death, her daughter, Anna Jarvis (1864–1948), set out to honor her mother’s legacy by establishing a national Mothers’ Day on the second Sunday in May. She chose white carnations as an appropriate emblem and urged people to write heartfelt letters to their mothers. Although gratified by President Wilson’s official declaration of the first national Mother’s Day just before the start of WWI in 1914, Anna soon grew discontented with the growing focus on commercialization. What she had wanted to be an earnest “holy day” had become, in Anna Jarvis’ eyes, a crass holiday benefitting florists and greeting card companies more than honoring the mothering work done by women. • Anna Jarvis wanted everyone to write a heartfelt letter to their mother on Mother’s Day (just signing a greeting card did not count in her eyes). In the morning coffee club, residents will consider writing that letter or talking about what they would say or wish you could have said to their mother. •The women in the room may like to share about how mothering has changed in their family’s experience over time. What differences or similarities do you see between how you and your older family members have understood the decision to become a parent and the role of mothers?
How might any changes have been shaped by economic, political, or social trends? • The fear and reality of maternal and infant deaths profoundly shaped the world in which Ann Jarvis lived. While the rates of both have declined sharply since the 1800s, and current risks for both are low, anxiety and worry about pregnancy, childbirth, and infants’ health remain a part of mothering. In the United States, Black women are three times more likely to die due to problems during pregnancy than white women.1 How have you seen the medical system, family histories, and individual experiences shape the emotional aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and child rearing? • Ann Jarvis wanted to improve the health and lives of other mothers and children in her Appalachian community and saw public health campaigns as the best way to do so. What issues do you see facing mothers, children, and families in your community today? What do you think are the best avenues for making change?
National Nursing Home Week begins on Monday, May 11th -15th.
There are many events planned to celebrate the week.
Monday, May 11, at 2:30 pm, The Encore Launches out of this world Stellar Bingo. No reservations are required. This program is for Residents and their families.
Tuesday, May 12th, Residents receive their Encore Hats, Teddy Bears, and personalized cards from their guardian angels. Residents will also celebrate with a Senior Prom, so make sure you vote for who you would like to win as the 2026 Prom King and Queen. No reservations are required for this program; it is for Encore Residents. Refreshments will be served. Music is by Emilio. Wheelchair dancing is expected. Dress up a bit, as women will receive a wrist corsage.
On Wednesday, May 13th, we show our appreciation for the staff’s devotion to our Residents. The Encore is giving our staff a thank-you lunch today. Please take a moment to let your staff members know you appreciate their love and efforts. We have the Ray of Sunshine cards you can fill out to recognize admired staff members. At 2:30 pm, residents will celebrate with the music of one of their favorite singers, Mary Eiland.
On Thursday at 2:30 pm, residents and staff will enjoy an afternoon of magic. Showman Ray Eden will share Magic Moments for our Residents, Family & Staff. Directly after the show, our Urban Zen therapist will lead a Relaxation session. There are no reservations for this event.
On Friday, May 15th, at 11:00 am, our Jewish Residents will attend Rabbi Wolvovsky’s Service. We will have a Tai Chi class with Mark. We hope our Residents, Family, and Staff members return for our Galactic Gala of the Elite for a wonderful time in our Garden, dancing to a Super Band from 5:00-8:00 pm. We will have refreshments served. If families are attending, please RSVP to our front desk. We are excited to celebrate with you! Residents learn about the Carerite Three Rings in our logo, which represent our Residents, Families, and Staff. CareRite Centers’ mission is to foster and provide unprecedented levels of genuine care and customer service for our communities’ Rehabilitation and Nursing needs, in a soothing, tranquil, and state-of-the-art environment. The CareRite Center experience enlivens our guests’ physical and emotional well-being through innovative technology and highly trained healthcare professionals, helping them return to their fullest potential through ReNEWalTM. Our mission is to provide unprecedented, genuine care and exceptional service within a tranquil, state-of-the-art rehabilitation and nursing environment. Our focus is on revitalizing guests’ physical and emotional strength. Helping them to reach their fullest potential of health and renewal. We look forward to Celebrating National Nursing Home Week!