Glen Arden & Elant at Goshen Celebrate National Nursing Home Week & Older Americans Month

May 17, 2010 - PRLog -- Goshen – What do you get when you mesh together a couple of horses, a giant parachute, some root beer floats, and the mayor for the Village of Goshen?

The kick-off celebration at Elant of both National Nursing Home Week and the beginning of Older Americans Month, of course!

Both Glen Arden, Elant’s Continuing Care Retirement Community, and Elant at Goshen Nursing Home have geared up for these special occasions with a series of activities designed to honor Elant’s residents, as well as those who contribute to their care each day.

One such activity included Village of Goshen Mayor John Higgins, who helped commemorate Older Americans Month by offering an official proclamation to residents at Elant at Goshen Nursing Home during a recent root beer float social in the dining room.

“Through their care and service, Elant at Goshen recognizes the dignity and value of every older citizen,” the proclamation reads. “Let this be the salute to the growing number of Older Americans, who are living longer, staying healthy and strong, mentally as well as physically, and their continuing contributions to our nation’s strength and success throughout the world.”

“Elant and its residents have been an integral part of the Village of Goshen for decades, and we take pleasure in knowing that that will remain true as we move into the future,” Mayor Higgins said following the ceremony.

And while Mayor Higgins was contributing his support at Elant at Goshen, Glen Arden had its own celebration underway. Residents from Glen Arden’s Health Care Center and Enriched Housing Unit were treated to a visit from two horses, courtesy of Jody Moraski from Greystone Stables in New Hampton. The horses made a temporary home on the lawn of Glen Arden, and residents came outside in small groups to visit with them and feed them a bin-full of carrots.

At the same time, other residents were enjoying Glen Arden’s very first Field Day (driven inside by the unseasonably cold weather). Activities included a competitive game of bowling and a series of games designed around a colorful parachute that was spread across the entire width of the Health Care Center lobby.

“Our Field Day illustrated that you are never too old to play,” said Maureen Torelli, vice president and executive director of Glen Arden. “The games with the parachute allowed as many as 20 people to participate at a time and there were no winners or losers, just lots of people having fun! We all had a blast!”

“The parachute was the best fun,” Glen Arden Health Care Center resident Eileen Burger added. “And I can’t believe that horse was 14 hands high.”

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Elant, Inc., a community-based, not-for-profit organization, has been a part of the Hudson Valley healthcare landscape for the past 25 years. Its seven campuses, located across five counties, serve an estimated 3,500 people daily and provide sub-acute care and rehabilitation services, nursing home care, assisted living, adult day care, retirement community living, home health care, and a managed long-term care plan. Elant’s mission is to provide personalized, high-quality care and lifestyle options to persons of diverse generations, cultures, means, and needs.