Less than five months since opening its doors, the residents of Oakmont of Santa Clarita are getting involved in the greater Santa Clarita Valley community in addition to their own senior living community’s regular activities.
By Melissa Lampert, KHTS Staff Writer
On May 7, Oakmont residents partnered with the Senior Resource Alliance of SCV to appear at the Caregiver Resource Day at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, and just one week later participated in the 43rd annual Frontier Toyota/Henry Mayo “Drive Safe” Golf Classic held at the Valencia Country Club on May 14.
The community was also invited to participate in Oakmont residents’ first Passover Seder at the end of April, which featured a local rabbi and a four-course dinner prepared by Oakmont’s executive chef.
“We had 45 people at our Seder, residents and families of all religions. It was so heartwarming,” said Margie Veis, Oakmont of Santa Clarita’s executive director. “I just took that step back and I thought, wow… In (five) months, look where we are. It was beautiful.”
Even more families gathered at Oakmont for a special Mother’s Day brunch, which included live entertainment and gave residents the chance to skip the “hassle” of visiting a crowded restaurant for the holiday.
Related: Oakmont Executive Director Joins Hosts Of ‘The Senior Hour’ On KHTS AM-1220
Finally, a special Cinco de Mayo celebration took place at Oakmont of Santa Clarita on May 5 for residents and their families, complete with dancers, mariachis and margaritas.
“We’re so fortunate to have (our activity director Gina) on board,” Veis said. “She comes with a degree in recreation therapy and she really understands the importance of that therapeutic recreation.”
Other regular activities residents are getting involved in around the senior living community include twice-daily movies, exercise classes, outings, computer lessons, guest speakers, poker and bridge games, bingo and much more.
“It’s not just plain bingo– bingo can be a cognitive activity,” Veis explained. “It’s multi-taskng, it’s interacting with other residents.”
A special guest recently stopped by the community to talk about their travel experience and show photos to residents, which Veis said offered both an educational and geographical component.
“Residents could share their travels, and had anyone ever been there,” Veis said. “It’s a simple activity that can become very complex, and then (residents) bond friendships from that. It’s so much more than just a simple act, and again, we’re watching it unfold before us in these few months.”
Oakmont is a luxury senior living community in Santa Clarita located on seven acres of land on Newhall Ranch Road. Recently opened in January 2016, Oakmont of Santa Clarita is comprised of 80 pet-friendly apartment units, with both independent and assisted living options available. Residents can enjoy five star amenities like a salon & day spa, movie theater, fitness center, restaurant-style dining, gardens and walking paths, pet park, wellness center and more. A separate wing of the community, called Traditions Memory Care, is dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
28650 Newhall Ranch Road
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
(661) 347-0051
