Rhea Chaikin, 102, was surrounded by her family while she watched her grandchildren enjoy pony rides in the Parker Jewish Institute courtyard on September 12.
“I just love it!” said Chaikin about Grandparent’s Day, a national holiday and annual tradition at Parker Jewish, which gives family and friends an opportunity to visit and enjoy a special day.
Chaikin – along with the rest of the 100+ residents at Parker Jewish – wore corsages on their wrists during the day’s festivities, which included a clown, face-painting, ice cream bar, temporary tattoo artists, live music and a petting zoo. Approximately 500 residents, family members and friends attended this year’s Grandparents’ Day.
“[Grandparents’ Day] is a wonderful time,” said Ester Neadle from Arizona who was visiting her sister, Gail Frankfort, at Parker Jewish. Also visiting Gail was her husband Larry, her two grandchildren Yedidya and Frieda Levy and her daughter Stacey Levy.
“We would like to thank the staff at Parker for the heartfelt care given to the patients and numerous activities they provide. In my family, grandparents are honored every day,” said Stacey.
Grandparents’ Day was proclaimed a national holiday in 1978 to be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day by President Jimmy Carter. It was the brain child of Marian McQuade who was the vice-chairman of the West Virginia Commission on Aging, delegate to the White House Conference on Aging, president of the Vocational Rehabilitation Foundation and vice president of the Nursing Home Licensing Board and grandmother to 40 before her death in 2008.
Like McQuade, Michael Rosenblut – president and chief executive officer of Parker Jewish Institute – hopes grandchildren can learn from the insight and tradition their grandparents can provide.
“It’s very important to us at Parker to celebrate the past and the future of our residents,” said Rosenblut.
