Written by Sharon Sparkes
Valentine’s Day is a special occasion for many couples. In a continuing care retirement community like Garden Spot Village, sometimes couples live in different stages of care. Creating time and events to bring couples together is essential, especially on a day of love.
Today in the Garden Spot Village Chapel, Marcia Parsons, Community Engagement Coordinator, and Laura Gribble, Music Therapist, put together a Valentine’s Day program. Living in personal care, memory care, or skilled care, can make it difficult to have a traditional date on Valentine’s Day. As a result, a space was created for couples to come together from all levels of care to celebrate.
The Valentine’s Day program opened with a Love Song Sing-A-Long with Laura Gribble on guitar. Music is a special way to spend time with your partner, as it can provide a shared experience. Love songs from the first one many of us learn as children, “Jesus Loves Me,” to songs you listen to when you feel romantic love, “You Are My Sunshine,” to “That’s Amore,” and so much more.
The couples in the room have all been married for over 40 years, with the longest marriage in the room being Gerald & Lavinia Brackbill, who were high school sweethearts and have been married for 69 years!
The program concluded with residents sharing their feelings on how love can influence the senses. From how warm love feels to how sweet it smells. The residents at Garden Spot Village indeed had a wonderful Valentine’s Day.