June 2018 Volume 15, Issue 6 Through the Looking Glass

Volume 15, Issue 6 June 2018

Through the Looking Glass

Alice in Wonderland explanation came in the form of a poem Oak Hammock’s artistic bent was evident when written and narrated by the Oak Room hosted a fantasmagorical party. The Pat Collier. Through- entrance was decorated with trees and twigs, and out the skit, the marvel- Agatha, the twin sister of the Cheshire Cat, grinned ous bass of Ron at all who entered. Once inside, the guests found a Hoopes (the Caterpil- delicious assortment of strange foods such as Half lar) roared, but he re- Mad Jam Tarts and Down the Rabbit Hole Scotch mained unseen until Eggs. Carrot Cupcakes would come later to the de- the end. light of the rabbits hopping around the room. And a Tweedle Dum and very special Topsy-Turvy Cake was made by Tam- Tweedle Dee – George mi Clary. Alice looked totally confused as an impos- Lewis and Valerie Grif- ing voice roared from hidden corners, and then the fith – played amusing Red Queen made an impressive entrance. She roles as well. Just see- summoned the librarian who shared a video of the ing them in their cos- books stored in the Oak Hammock library’s nooks tumes made the event The Red Queen enters. and crannies. It takes a village to present a great worth attending. And show, and this was no exception. Jan Havre was you can’t have a queen without heralds, so Nancy the writer/director. Wood and Marta Whipple filled those roles. The White Rabbit (Donna Moss from Assisted Very special thanks go to Dick Martin for the vid- Living) fretted over being late while the March Hare eo/sound system/special effects and to Pat Martin (Elaine Skeel) was annoyed she had to look for the for the creative costume designs. Additional thanks Cheshire Cat. The Mad Hatter (Vicki Mulhearn) go to Ann Elnicki for sneaking into everyone’s back prepared a Fabulicious Feast with the help of Chef yard to collect branches and twigs for decorations Jon and the dining crew and Alice (Beth Paul) was and Dick Elnicki for gluing them all together, Russ scolded by the Red Queen (Jan Havre) for not be- Golly, Richard Jones, Gaye Kirkpatrick, Katherine ing very well-read. That was the cue for the Librari- Osman, Mary Polk, Marion Siegel, Andy Wilkerson, an (Janet Janke) to be summoned and explain the Dining Room Crew, and the Library Committee. where all the books of Oak Hammock resided. The - Beth Paul and Jan Havre 2 The Oak Leaf A Wonderland in the Oak Room

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1. Waiting for admittance 2. Heralds Nancy and Marta 3. Vicki Mulhearn as the Mad Hatter 4. Beth Paul as Alice 5. Elaine Skeel as the March Hare 7 6. Donna Moss as the White Rabbit 4 5 7. Janet Janke as the Librarian 8. Ron Hoopes as the Narrator 9. Themed Cake by Tammi Clary, AL Baker 10. George and Valarie are Tweedle 6 Dee and Tweedle Dum 11.-16. Creatively themed menu items

- Beth Paul and 1 8 The Oak Leaf Staff, photos

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14 15 The Oak Leaf 3 John and Susan Bankston On the morning I first met John and Susan design, and her work in that field led to her becom- Bankston, the ing an accomplished landscape artist. sun was out for Meanwhile their love of sailing remained strong, the first time in and over the years they bought several boats in three days! The which they both raced and cruised. John and Susan view from their both taught sailing, were certified Scuba divers, and light and airy were well known in the sailing world. During this apartment in time, they managed to combine their love of water Building 2 was with environmental volunteerism, spending many as friendly and hours in remote areas of the Bahamas, working with cheerful as the the Bahamas National Trust. Each February, they two charming people who live there. lived aboard their boat in the Exuma Cays Land & John and Susan met in the summer of 1962, Sea Park, assisting a group of scientists in main- when Susan graduated from St. Petersburg Jr. Col- taining this pristine wilderness. lege and John was studying at the University of The sailing years unfortunately had to end about Florida. He was interning in Clearwater during that ten years ago when John was diagnosed with Park- fateful summer of 1962 and the rest, as they say, is inson’s Disease. The couple was fortunate to find history! After his graduation from UF in 1963, John the best medical help available in Dr. Michael Okun became a successful commercial general contractor and Dr. Kelly Foote. Both of these outstanding phy- in Clearwater, the couple married, and over the next sicians practice at UF Health, and so John and Su- few years produced three lovely daughters, two of san began regular visits to Gainesville for John’s whom also graduated from UF, the third from Au- treatment. They began a search for a CCRC, and it burn. was nothing short of serendipitous that Susan quite In 1989, John and Susan grew eager for adven- by accident discovered Oak Hammock on line! ture and ran away from home! Avid sailors, they Now they have settled in, and are so happy to lived aboard their sailboat for the next two years, be here among fellow Gator fans! Susan is already during which they enjoyed visiting many foreign involved in Oak Hammock’s very active art commu- ports and meeting fascinating people. nity, and John spends time reading and working out Eventually, though they still loved their life as in our fitness center. When they arrived, he was us- gypsies, Susan suggested that perhaps it would be ing a cane. After spending time with our excellent nice to have a home base on dry land. And so they trainers in rehab, he has thrown out that cane. And bought land in the mountains of North Carolina and thanks to the cutting edge care he is receiving from built a beautiful house, which they still own and en- Dr. Okun and Dr. Foote, his tremors have complete- joy in summers. Vero Beach also beckoned, and ly ceased! Welcome to Oak Hammock, John and they made it their winter home for seven years. Dur- Susan. We are delighted that you have joined our ing this time, Susan developed an interest in interior family! - Jan Havre

Our International Staff

We live in a world that is no longer defined by borders. Oak Ham- mock employees are no exception to the diversity found in today’s en- vironments. Teresa O’Hara, Director of Human Resources, took the time to gather some information for us, and it’s exciting to see the various countries that are represented by our workers. The majority of our international work staff hails from the Philip- pines (20) followed by Puerto Rico (10) (a territory where residents are U.S. citizens but still a distance away from the mainland U.S.). The rest of the workers are limited to one to four from each of the following countries: Italy, Cuba, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, India, Vi- etnam, Haiti, Jamaica, and even Russia. - Beth Paul and Bill Castine 4 The Oak Leaf You Make the Difference Awards Deitra Williams, Skilled Nursing Department Deitra consistently provides help and support to our residents by going outside her job description, showing great teamwork and commitment to helping others. She responds to call lights without seeking the help of CNAs, addresses concerns, and talks the resident through the entire care while being pleasant and professional. 5/14/18

Emelia Heaton, Housekeeping Department Emelia went the extra mile to clean up overflowing water that had gone into the furnace room in one of the resident’s apartments. She did this without being asked to do so and consistently does whatever is needed to make her residents happy. 5/22/18

Patrick Eckart, Maintenance Department Patrick consistently provides help and support to our residents as well as his fellow employees who need assistance in other departments. He took it upon himself to clean the exterior of the Security Gate- house without being asked to do it. 5/23/18

Contributions to the Oak Hammock Honors Oak Hammock Benevolent Fund The residents of Oak Hammock Make a gift to our Benevolent Fund “in memory” congratulate the following staff of someone who has passed, “in gratitude” for on achieving the designated honor: someone who has done a good job or deed, or “in honor” of a thoughtful friend. Isabella Angulo B.A., Visual Arts Since we last reported on the contributions to Nan Colon Licensed Practical Nurse the Benevolent Fund, a total of $272 has been re- Tenika Jordan Registered Nurse ceived in memory of Joan Dewey and Julian Green Chasity McCloud Registered Nurse and in honor of Tom George, Margaret Zircher, and Amanda O’Shea Registered Nurse Pat Liston. Chris Rocks Certified Dietary Manager - The Oak Leaf Staff and Marquesha Odom - Heather Gilkey and the Residents’ Council

Health Pavilion Happenings

1. Roberta Lipsig shops 2. Edith Ellet 3. Carmen Tango with Sugar the Cat 4. Santa Fe Zoo Visits 5. Santa Fe Zoo 6. Ellie the Fashion Store 1 7. Jenny Stoufer with Sugar 2 3

4 5 6 7 The Oak Leaf 5 Celebrating Life's Stories

National Skilled Nursing Care Week was held May 13-19. Events at Oak Hammock Pavilion featured the “Wild West” sponsored by “SunCrest Omni Home Health” which included a horse race and root beer floats. There was also an event on the theme “Don’t Worry, Be Hippie!”

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9 1. Matt from Therapy 2. Gerry Schuler and Friends 3. The West rides again! 4. Don’t Worry, be Hippie! 5. John and Lizzard Shafer 10 6. Carmen Acevedo 7. Bryan from Therapy 8. Monica Ondrick, Mary Hughes 9. Sue Baxter, Crystal Canfall 10. Cindy Brunette, Bill Moore 11. The Ice Cream Truck! 12. Edith Enneking, Kate Montague 13. Sylvia Weber, Louise Senesac 14. Alicia Churchill, Carol Crevasse, Kate Montague 13 11 - Alison Simons, Monica Ondrick, photos

Bill

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Your Residents’ Council: Watch for Some Important Developments Most of us at Oak Hammock rarely even think dents’ Council, i.e., its bylaws. These can be about the Residents’ Council (RC) and what it is changed only by a vote of the residents at a public doing (or not doing). I have met people who do not meeting. I expect the recommended revisions to be even know it exists. Well, it does exist and it has considered by the RC at its June 8th meeting. Once been very active! In the next few months, some the RC has acted favorably, the revisions must also changes are coming that you need to know about. be adopted by a meeting of the residents. We plan Representation on the Oak Hammock Board of to call this meeting before mid-August, 2018 and a Directors quorum is needed. First, did you know that under Florida law, the The major changes are in the article governing President of the RC is also a member of the Board elections and their timing to align with the schedule of Directors? The Board sets overall policy for the of the Board of Directors. The Board selects its new management of Oak Hammock. Board Members members in October. They take office in January, are not reimbursed. Most of them are active mem- after completing the mandatory security check and a bers of the Gainesville Community. At its last meet- Board orientation. Because the RC currently holds ing in April, the Board made two very important de- its elections in November and a new RC President cisions. is selected by the new RC in January, she or he First, it has added a new category of Board cannot complete the security check in time to partic- member: a second representative from Oak Ham- ipate in the January Board meeting. mock residents (in addition to the RC President). Therefore, the RC is proposing to change the So we will now have two residents sitting on the timing of the elections to hold them in October of Board. Second, it changed its rules so that both each year. The new RC-elect will then meet and Resident Representatives will be full voting mem- choose its President-elect well in time for this per- bers – previously the RC President could not vote son to undergo the security check and join the on the budget or changes in fees. Board in January. However, the new RC will take Oak Hammock residents will now have a strong- over in January, as is the case now. er voice on the Board. Therefore, it is critically im- We have also provided for situations when the portant that residents come forward and volunteer to number of candidates is equal to or fewer than the be candidates, and it is critically important that we number of Council seats available. Other adjust- select a strong candidate. I will explain the process ments have been made in the Bylaws to improve of selection in next month’s The Oak Leaf. clarity. Revision of RC Bylaws - Doug Merrey, President, Residents‘ Council Since March, an ad hoc committee of residents has been reviewing the rules that govern the Resi-

Dining Services Committee

Did you love the daily special last night? Did you think your carrots were undercooked? Do you wish we had chocolate marquis more often? The Dining Comments subcommittee of the Dining Services Committee wants to hear from you. For over 10 years, this group has been listening to your feedback, first by way of paper forms by the dining room and later also by electronic form via infoh.us or by Touchtown. The current members are Chair, LaVerne Petzold; Sandra Smith, Ann Elnicki, and Anne Margoluis. Each one reads the Dining Comments for a month, transfers the comments to a spreadsheet, and then gets together with Chef Jon Goldstein, Max Parton, and Bob Blood every two weeks to discuss the comments. Some of the comments have led to nice changes in the menu. For example, baked white or sweet pota- toes were not served at noon until a resident recommended this addition. If you really like something, be sure to fill out a form as these suggestions or compliments may lead to items being added to the weekly specials or to the regular menu. We are so lucky to have such a wide choice of meals. Other CCRCs do not have such an extensive menu. Complaints need to be specific as to which dining venue, which mealtime, which server, and what did or did not please you. Many complaints are due to miscommunication with the server. It helps when the server reads back your order. If you wish to discuss your complaint, be sure to put your name and phone number on the form, and the person reading the comments that month will contact you. Although there are three ways to submit your Dining Comments, the staff and the committee prefer the electronic forms. - Barbara Francis The Oak Leaf 7 The Oak Hammock Singers Sing Broadway

What glorious music! On Friday evening, May 19th, under the direction of Ron Burrichter and Brenda Smith, Oak Hammock Singers serenaded us with Broadway hits. Solos were performed by UF students and residents: Lori and Ron Hoopes, Dick Martin, Don Collier, Jim Wiltshire, Judy Gire, David Skeel, and Rhoda Swerlick. The audience sang along on a number of selections. The evening was thoroughly entertaining. Brenda (at right) has written a book, So You Want to Sing for a Lifetime, which includes a chapter about the Oak Hammock Singers and a chapter about Rhoda Swerlick. - Dick Martin, - The Oak Leaf staff photo

Oak Hammock Chamber Players Spring Concert

Oak Hammock had a musical treat once again when the Chamber Players entertained us with several classical pieces, some with multi-movements. The first piece, by Mozart, was written when he was eight years old. That was a long time ago. The last piece, by Beethoven, had a wonderful sense of rhythm, volume, tempo, and timing. As our renowned conductor and professor of music, R. Gary Langford, mentioned, the players had practiced and practiced, and the results were delightful. Mike Plaut, who originally organized the Chamber Players at Oak Hammock, played a clarinet duet with Cheryl Poe, while Carolyn Reaves accompanied them on the piano. As we have mentioned in the past, the Oak Hammock Chamber Players are members of the New Hori- zons International Music Association, a nonprofit organization committed to expanding music making opportunities for adults. - Bev Cone, content; Bill Castine, photo 8 The Oak Leaf

Copper Monkey Opens New Location After thirty-seven years at a midtown Gainesville will remain open as Copper Monkey, West. The location, the owners of the popular Copper Monkey Creekside location became Copper Monkey 2nd Av- Restaurant have relocated to larger digs, in the enue. Turn into Creekside at the traffic light at SW Creekside Mall. Not just larger, but taller. Think 36th Street two stories, with a bar on each floor, in a retro set- and 2nd Ave- ting. The menu features what they do best–burgers nue and you and sandwiches–plus salads and daily specials. are there! The pleasant, accommodating, youthful staff make Now’s the everyone feel special. A large covered area, com- time to check plete with fans and lights, offers al fresco seating. it out. In a There is free off-street parking in the Creekside few weeks Mall. Credit cards accepted. Open daily 11 a.m. – Gainesville 11 p.m. Address: 3501 SW 2nd Avenue. Phone: will be turning totally orange and blue again. Bet (352) 505-3595. those Gators will be heading to the Copper Monkey Before making this recent move, the owners 2nd Avenue. opened a second Copper Monkey in Newberry. It - Barbara Dockery

GRU Upgrade

Gainesville Regional Utilities, the provider of internet services to Oak Hammock, plans to upgrade our service from the present nominal speed of 100 Mbps to Gigabit Ethernet, which is 1000 Mbps. On June 6, Christine Damm and Frank Latini of GRU described the project and what we could expect as it develops. GRU will install additional fiber optic cable to feed existing equipment at Oak Hammock. Wiring within apartments or homes will not need to be replaced. A new modem providing both Ethernet cable and WiFi will be installed (by appointment) at an ethernet cable outlet in each dwelling unit, so existing modems will no longer be necessary. Owners who wish to keep their own equipment may do so; however, older modems not meeting the 802.11 a/c standard will not carry the signal at the faster rate. Throughout the Com- mons, wireless access points will be installed where needed to ensure complete coverage. The entire process is estimated to require about six months to complete. To view a replay of GRU’s presentation, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmPRqmDquEA&feature=youtu.be - Bill Castine

Recycled Riches Recycled Riches is going through growing pains and is facing some reorganization issues. In simple lan- guage, we cannot keep up with all the movement in Oak Ham- mock. Our residents are aging, and, with the addition of rooms in the Health Pavilion, we simply can’t keep up. Summer is here and our workers have flown and driven away for their vacations. Please bear with us as we have to downsize what we are able to do for our residents. We will be sending out more information in the very near future as we work with our staff to determine our future. In the meantime, we ask that all residents let us know as soon as possible if they will be needing our services. We need more lead time to deal with large items or large amounts of donations. Single items or boxes of items will still be collected as usual. Thank you for your understanding. Thank You Party for the Our next meeting will be Monday, June 25, at 11 a.m., in the Recycled Riches Workers MPR. We would love to see you there. We need everyone who is interested in our committee to come out and give us a hand. Thank you. - Valerie Griffith The Oak Leaf 9 Acorn Book Club

A renowned local author, Mallory O’Connor, was swered questions from our par- the speaker at the Acorn Book Club for our May ticipants during a pleasant monthly meeting. She is the author of American River: lunch in the Private Dining Tributaries, the first book in a trilogy. This was our Room. book to read for discussion this month. Mallory is a There are several copies of talented musician and artist, as well as being a won- this book, American River: derful writer. She gave us some background about the Tributaries, in the Oak Ham- location where this book takes place, discussed the mock library, and the second development of fictional characters and the research book, American River: Cur- that she has done for this historical novel, and an- rents, has recently been pub- lished and is also available in the Oak Hammock library. Don’t miss reading these books! They are wonderful, and the third in the trilogy will be released this fall–fun to look forward to! She also told us about an upcoming book fair in Gainesville in January, 2019, which will be a first for this community. We will be looking into bus transportation for Oak Hammock residents when the time gets nearer. - Bev Cone Art League at Oak Hammock

“June is busting out all over” and so are the flowers, trees, plants, and birds, ready for our Oak Hammock artists to busy themselves cre- ating lovely artwork. The Oak Hammock Gallery is featuring a show by residents and staff from July 9th to October 6th, with another festive reception on Sunday, July 22nd. Deadline for submitting the application is June 15th. There are blue folders on the front reception desk containing applications and yellow folders for completed applications. Artists may enter four art- works for consideration, with the stipulation that it has not been hung in the Oak Hammock Gallery within the past year. We encourage artistic staff to be part of this show, too. We are family. Looking ahead, we will again be hosting the Gainesville Fine Arts Association Fall show from October, 2018 to January, 2019. To join the GFAA or pay your dues, go to www.GainesvilleFineArts.org for instruction on how to do it. The fall show is always too good to miss! We welcome Susan Bankston and Martha Rader as new members of our Gallery Board. The Art Studio will be the venue for the art of the students of Anda Chance’s Colored Pencil Class. Joyce Riffe is organizing the show. Meanwhile, the portraits that have been on display there are being moved to the Assisted Living dining room. Oak Hammock is a warm and welcoming home for everyone, with all the art shows, programs, and all the wonderful art loaned and donated by residents, and arranged by Vanda O’Neill and her committee. Many thanks to Midge Smith too, for her diligence to our art. Our main foyer has taken on a new and welcoming char- acter under her guidance. The Art League Steering Committee meeting was held on June 6th in the Art Studio. At that time, we looked ahead and planned our future classes and programs. Please look for announcements of future activities and, if you have any suggestions, please contact Midge Smith. Remember, the first and second Tuesday of each month, Jane Polkowski Levy sets up an Open Studio for anyone who cares to come to sketch, or paint a live model. Our models are Oak Hammock volunteers. Open Studio is held in the Multipurpose Room from 6 to 8 p.m. On the third Tuesday of each month, we again go to the Multipurpose Room, this time for an art critique. Everyone is welcome. Please bring some artwork we can talk about or, if you don’t have anything going at that time, just bring yourself and your ideas. We have fun. Happy painting everyone! - Marion Siegel, ALAOH, content; The late Jean Subers, designer, ALAOH logo; Hikmet Bates, Oak Hammock, rose photo 10 The Oak Leaf Cheeseburgers in Paradise

The Cheeseburgers in Paradise event was the perfect way to start summer– forget the weeks of rainy weather and have a great time. The duo of Moondog played lots of great beach sounds and, of course, Jimmy Buffet tunes. Sing-a-longs, a dancing CEO, and plenty of cheeseburgers! Wonderful! - Kathryn Clark

- Karen Merrey, Rod Owens, and Kathryn Clark, photos

Zero Waste

That was the topic on May 2nd when Ginny Schrader intro- duced Gainesville Commissioner Adrian Hayes-Santos and Nina Bhattacharyya of Zero Waste Gainesville to an interested audience in the Oak Room. It was certainly a very informative program. What is Zero Waste? It is a philosophy that focuses on reducing waste in everyday life. Benefits include prolonging the life of landfills and saving money and energy. It comprises the 3 R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Waiting Recycle, in Line plus Composting. Reduce and Reuse by  taking our reusable bags to stores, thus eliminating plastic bags  asking for take-out in plant-derived containers, not Styrofoam, when dining out in the community  bringing our own reusable containers when dining at Oak Hammock Recycle at Oak Hammock by  putting papers in paper bin  putting glass, metal, non-Styrofoam plastics in proper bin Compost by  encouraging the City and County to implement a strong composting program

There was a thoughtful Q&A session following the presentation. On tables in the rear of the Oak room, Nina had a collection of brochures to hand out and Bruce Black- well had assorted free reusable bags that his contacts in the City and County had donated. Everyone left with more insight into the problems, projects and hopes about reducing our disposables. The audience also thought that the first thing for Oak Hammock to do is to eliminate Styrofoam. Bruce announced that the Alachua County Environmental Protection Advisory Committee (EPAC) will hold a “Community Conversation” titled “Talking Trash”, which will center on information about single-use plastic bags and Styrofoam, on Thursday, June 28, 6-9 p.m. at the Senior Recreation Center, 5701 NW 34th Blvd. There may be transportation if enough people are interested. Check the Transportation Book. – Ginny Schrader, Bruce Blackwell, Sale in Progress Vicki Mulhearn, For the Conservation Society of Oak Hammock The Oak Leaf 11 FLiCRA

Even though the general elections are not until November and the Florida Legislature won’t meet again until February 2019, your FLiCRA leadership is already making plans to try to get much needed reforms to protect Florida’s seniors living in retirement communities. FLiCRA, working with its partners LeadingAge and the Flori- da Office of Insurance Regulation, is trying to put together the complex combination of legislative players to finally have success with its reform package. Long term care will be one of the most important issues in the 2019 Legislature, partly because of the ever-growing population of Floridians living in CCRCs and partly because legislatures over the past three or four years have failed to meet goals that have been bipartisan and without opposition. Starting in 2000, 83 percent of the Florida House and 60 percent of the Florida Senate have left office due to term limits. While term limits may be very good for better government, this means there is a revolv- ing group of new legislators every session that FLiCRA must educate regarding important senior issues. And this education really needs to begin at the local level–with the involvement of every FLiCRA member. Thank you for your continuing support of FLiCRA. Membership participation in FLiCRA at Oak Ham- mock is among the best anywhere in Florida and your FLiCRA Board appreciates your support. If you have questions or suggestions, just let us know. And if you have a membership question, please call me or our Membership Chair, Ron Hoopes. - Dave Rader

Memorial Day Picnic

Hot dogs, barbecued ribs, potato salad, cole slaw… oh yum! Lots of fresh fruit and strawberry short- cake for dessert. That, plus lots more delicious food made a very special picnic to celebrate the holiday - INSIDE fortunately. With Alberto looming around in the Gulf, the weather was questionable. As it turned out, it was pleasant until right at the end of the meal, when it clouded up and rained. It would have been very difficult for the staff to bring all that hot food inside before it got wet! So they made a good decision to set up in the Fireside Room. And everyone enjoyed the camarade- rie and conversations with friends and family. - Bev Cone, content; Bill Castine, photo

Gainesville Sun Features Safety Check Oak Hammock residents get CarFit

On May 18, on the front page of the Local & State section of The Gainesville Sun, Tucker Berardi, correspondent, described the educational program geared toward teaching older drivers about their cars’ safety features. Pat Read taught the course at Oak Hammock to 15 residents. The article included a photo of resident Barbara Francis adjusting her steering wheel and a description of the Wiltshires’ experience. - The Oak Leaf staff, content; Gainesville Sun, photo 12 The Oak Leaf Visit to Wilmot Gardens How many of us have driven by the “Wilmot Gardens” sign behind the Medical Plaza without knowing what was there? On May 17th, Dr. Craig Tisher, Director of the Gardens, gave a presentation to the Natural History Society, to answer that question. Then on May 24th, a group of residents made a trip to Wilmot Gardens for a guided tour by Dr. Tisher. It was quite interesting to find that there are several gardens within the beautiful gardens–the Chapman Healing Garden, the Hippocratic Garden, the Japanese Ma- ple Garden, the Lifestyle Garden and others. Each year, the graduating medical class goes to the Hippocratic Garden to take the Hippocratic Oath. The sycamore tree in that garden came from the Greek island of Kos where Hippocrates taught under, possi- bly the “parent,” sycamore tree. The Chapman Heal- ing Garden provides patients and the public the ability to enjoy the sensory experiences of plants, e.g., fragrance, color, shape and texture. This garden also has the calming effect of a water feature. There is a camellia collection of over 125 plants and a Japanese Maple Tree Garden with more than 30 rare species. The Commons provide a large to “garden” by potting and caring for plants. Patients green space that provides a nice area for picnics sur- with cancer, PTS, autism, and other conditions are rounded by lovely foliage and trees. The Lifestyles often helped by gardening therapy. The worktables Garden has a 60-meter track and a patio that pro- are of various shapes and can be adjusted to various vides a shady, flowered activity area with picnic ta- heights to accommodate wheelchairs and assistive bles. Staff, families, patients, and the public are free devices. It was an interesting, enjoyable, and in- to enjoy all of the gardens. formative trip, and Wilmot Gardens is definitely worth Dr. Tisher then took us to the Therapeutic Green- a visit. house, where patients are provided the opportunity - Pat Harden

Oak Hammock Employee Health and Wellness Fair

The Employee Health and Wellness Fair was held May 30 in the Oak Room. Residents were welcome. The fair included free health screenings, vi- sion tests, chair massages, prizes and giveaways, healthy cooking demos, healthy snacks and drinks, and local vendors providing products and services with special discounts. The Oak Leaf 13 “Wish You Were Here!” There is something about traveling that captivates us and lures us to our next destination. So why travel? Is it the desire to learn about the world and the people in it, or is it for the pleasure and adventure of seeing exotic and distant places? For some of us, we dream of far off places but never reach them because of one excuse or another. For others, travel is an experience, an understanding of the world, its cultures, people, and the adventure of the unknown. Traveling changes you like nothing else. It takes you to places you never before imagined and leaves you with a lifetime of memories. It offers an es- cape from the routine of everyday life. It enhances the mind, giving us the ability to learn from the unknown. Whatever your wanderlust may be, the Travel Club’s monthly travel program offers a glimpse into the world of travel through the experiences and adventures of fellow travelers. Our presentations have taken us down under to Australia and New Zealand, on Caribbean cruises, to trop- ical islands, exotic Asian countries, historic European cities, hiking treks to the Tetons, and even to the South Pole, thanks to some of our adventurous residents who have shared their travels with us. Oak Hammock is very fortunate to have so many adventurers in its midst and we would love for you to share your exciting journeys and experiences with all of us. Please contact the Travel Club to schedule and discuss how we can help you with your travel presentation. WHERE WILL OUR NEXT DESTINA- TION BE? “To Travel is to Live.” - Hans Christian Anderson - Joyce Riffe Gainesville Goes Batty “Albert” the alligator is the University of Florida’s popular mascot. The bat houses on campus are almost as well known – and for good reason. They are the world’s largest occupied bat houses, with an estimated population of 500,000 and room for more (750,000 would be full capacity). The two UF bat barns and house are located on the north side of Museum Road, across from Lake Al- ice. About 15-20 minutes after sunset on warm evenings (above 65 degrees) swarms of bats fly out into the night. They are thirsty. And hungry. A single brown bat can catch up to 600 mosquitoes in just an hour. It’s estimated these bats save the U.S. agriculture industry up to $53 billion a year in pesticides and damage to crops. Bring on those bats. “Masters of the Night: The True Story of Bats” is a featured exhibit at the Florida Museum of Natural History. A simulated bat nursery, hands on activities, and plenty of bat-facts are guaranteed to amaze every age that visits. Open daily, the exhibit closes September 16, 2018. There is no admission to the Museum. There is a charge to view the bat exhibit: $6.50 Florida residents & seniors; $5.00 ages 3-17, with UF students and Museum members admitted free. Bat over pond, Meanwhile on the Oak Hammock campus we find two bat houses, thought nev- Tom Gire, photo er to have been occupied. And mosquitoes multiplying. Tom Gire has seen an oc- casional bat above the lower platform of the pond, near the first bat house, just before daybreak, along with mosquitoes. John Ives repaired the bat house that now resides hidden in tree limbs on SW 50th Blvd. Jan Havre, who lives on the same street and across from that bat house, reports removing bat guano from her front porch. John says building a bat house is a one-person project, but he is happy to share the plans. The Bat Conservation and Management’s recommendation is to locate the house ten feet above the ground, preferably on a pole, in an open area with south-southeast exposure. And seven hours of direct sunlight is a must. Sounds like Bat Man and Robin have their work cut out for them. Meanwhile, enjoy going batty at the Florida Museum of Natural History. It’s a cool place. And no mosquitoes. One of OH’s two bat - Barbara Dockery houses 14 The Oak Leaf Upcoming Movies Due to the audio visual improvements occurring in the Oak Room, these dates are subject to change. June 30 Lady Bird (R, 2017) Breaking records as Rotten Tomatoes ''BEST-REVIEWED MOVIE OF ALL TIME'' and five-time Academy Award® nominee (including BEST PICTURE), critics and fans are all applauding for this five-star coming-of-age comedy. 94 minutes, IMDB Score: 7.5 July 7 Our Souls at Night (TV-14, 2017) Fonda and Redford will star as Addie Moore and Louis Waters, a widow and widower who've lived next to each other for years. The pair have almost no relationship, but that all changes when Addie tries to make a connection with her neighbor. 103 minutes, IMDB Score: 6. The 2018 Midterm Election The ballot for the 2018 midterm elections will be very long, and so–it is predicted–will be the lines at the polls. Be sure you are prepared to make your vote count. If you have any questions about voting, you can find official answers by going on line to VoteAlachua.com or calling the office of the Alachua County Supervisor of Elections at (352) 374-5252. YOU MAY NEED TO UPDATE YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION RECORD IF YOU: * have moved to or within Oak Hammock since the last time you voted * have changed your name * need to update your signature because it no longer matches your signature on file * wish to change your party designation * want to receive a vote-by-mail ballot * need to request assistance in voting The League of Women Voters and other organizations within the community will sponsor forums in which the candidates can discuss the issues of importance to you. Attend. Ask questions. Discuss the issues. WHEN/WHERE TO VOTE Oak Hammock’s precinct is #54, at The Florida Museum of Natural History. There are 3 ways you can vote: vote in your precinct on election day, OR vote early at specified sites, OR vote by mail. Look for more details in the next issue of The Oak Leaf. DATES TO REMEMBER July 30: The last day to register for the August 28 primary August 18-25: early voting for primary AUGUST 28: PRIMARY ELECTION October 9: the last day to register for the November 6 general election October 22-November 3: early voting for general election NOVEMBER 6: GENERAL MIDTERM ELECTION Prepare for voting and VOTE! - Catherine Morsink

A Recommendation! Since 2006, Zostavax® had been the only vaccine available to fight shingles (herpes zoster) in those of us who have had chicken pox. Now there is the new and improved Shingrix® to prevent or reduce the complica- tions of shingles. The most common complication of shingles is pain at the site after the infection is over. The pain may be intense and last weeks or months or forever and is referred to as post herpetic neuralgia (PHN). For those 50-69 years of age, Shingrix® has been found to be 97% effective in preventing shingles and 91% effective in preventing PHN. In persons 70 and older, it is 91% effective against shingles and 89% effective in preventing PHN. Shingrix® is administered in 2 doses, 2-6 months apart, and the first dose can be given at any time you do not have shingles and it has been at least 8 weeks since you have had Zostavax®. The cost is covered by most Medicare D / Drug plans and many private insurance plans. There are a number of brief side effects. I have added a link with that information: https://www.cdc.gov/ vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html Due to the seriousness of the shingles infection and the effectiveness of the new immunization, the Centers for Disease Control strongly advise all of us at least 50, get this ASAP! - Kathleen Jett

The shots are now available at Publix pharmacy and at many doctors’ offices. - The Oak Leaf staff The Oak Leaf 15

Oak Hammock by the Shakespeare Numbers as of June 1 Lysander, arguing with Hermia about Independent Living love (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) Total Sold Available “Ay me, for aught that I could ever read, Houses 57 55 2 Could ever hear by tale or history, Apartments 212 202 10 The course of true love never did run smooth...” - Nickie Doria - Bob Gentry

Health Pavilion

Total Occu- Available pied CANDIDATE FORUM Assisted 46* 43 1 (2 pending) for the Memory 24 15 9 Alachua County Primary Election Skilled 73 63** 10 (7pending) Sponsored by the Non-Partisan League of Women Voters

*due to the option for double occupancy, the maximum capacity is 56 people in 46 units Wednesday, June 27 **fluctuates daily 7:00 p.m. in the Oak Room - Mary Sabatella Hall of Flags at Oak Hammock

Gold Seal Award Celebration Nicolas and Isabella, Gold Seal activities did not stop with the voting of the award You Will Be Missed! to Oak Hammock by the Gold Seal Panel. Now that the gover- nor has signed it, it will be sent to us; we will also receive a new license featuring our Gold Seal award. Then, a procedure will be started to make it easier when we come up for renewal in three years. Thanks go to Judy Plaut, current member of the Gold Seal Panel, and to Jane O’Donnell, a past member, for reviewing the draft and making helpful suggestions. Judy also worked with both Skilled Nursing and Marketing staff to prepare them for what was to come. Nickie Doria, Director of Market- ing, and her team are busy working on incorporating this honor into our marketing materials, informing the local community, and planning the celebration. Be on the lookout for celebration announcements. - Roanne Coplin - Dick Martin

ILR - Summer Session Authors, opera, movies, research, short stories and one-shot lectures–these are just some of the offerings from ILR this summer. There are sixteen class selections to choose from and the price is right. There is no charge for summer courses, so sign up for a lecture on Barbara Bush, The Barber of Seville by Rossini, Rich- ard Attenborough’s Oh, What A Lovely War, A Work of Art by Anton Chekhov, Exoplanets from the University of Florida Department of Astronomy, Spanish Conversation, Adventures In Living, and other delightful and informative selections. The highlight of the summer will be presentations by Oak Hammock authors. Five authors (Doug Merrey, Mary Kilgour, Carol Ash, Mary Sue Koeppel, and Catherine Morsink) will present their works and be available to answer questions about their writing. A sixth, the late Norm Holland, will be presented by Dr. Andy Gordon. Summer offers many exciting opportunities to grow and learn. Join us for ILR classes this summer. Be sure to fill out the registration form that you will find inside the Summer Bulletin. - Barbara Herbstman

Look, No Hands!

Co-Editors Janet Axe, Patsy Nelms

Advisory Committee Betty Young

Oak Leaf Committee Bill Castine, Kathryn Clark, Cynthia Clements, Bev Cone, Barbara Dockery, Barbara Francis, Jan Havre, Barbara Herbstman, Beth Paul, Jack Polk

Additional Contributors (This Issue) Bruce Blackwell, Roanne Coplin, Nickie Doria, Anne Eiler, Barbara Francis, Bob Gentry, Heather Gilkey, Valerie Griffith, Pat Harden, Kathleen Jett, Doug Merrey, Catherine Morsink, Vicki Mulhearn, Marquesha Odum, Monica Ondrick, Katherine Osman, Dave Rader, Joyce Riffe, Mary Sabatella, Ginny Schrader, Marion Siegel, Alison Simons, Susan Young

Additional Photographers (This Issue) Hikmet Bates, Bill Castine, Bev Cone, Kathryn Clark, Tom Gire, Three Pat Harden, Bill Hatcher (smashed car, last issue), Dick Martin, Karen Merrey, Patsy Nelms, Monica Ondrick, Rod Owens, Lovely Beth Paul, Martha Rader, Alison Simons Lassies Additional Proofreaders at Sally Foote, June Smith, Beth Sugalski Magda’s Graphics Katherine Osman, Layout At Rainbow’s End - Martha Rader

2018 Residents’ Council

President Doug Merrey Vice President Nancy Wood Secretary Pat Collier

Committee Meeting Time Location Chairperson Building & Grounds Maintenance 1st Thursday, 10:00 a.m. Acorn George Arola Communications 1st Monday, 10:00 a.m. MPR John Ives Dining Services 4th Friday, 10:00 a.m. MPR Bob Blood Finance & Cost-effective Management 3rd Thursday, 1:30 p.m. MPR Chuck McDonald Health & Well Being 4th Thursday, 3:00 p.m. Varies Henri Logan Interior Design & Living Environment 1st Thursday, 10:00 a.m. Acorn Vanda O’Neill Information Systems 4th Friday, 1:30 p.m. MPR Carole George Long Range Planning 3rd Thursday, 3:00 p.m. MPR Bill Zegel Travel & Events 1st Monday, 11:00 a.m. CRA Joyce Riffe Assisted Living Representative Jim Piety