Nursing Home, ALF Residents’ Talent on Display at Florida Museum

Art from the Heart Exhibit Opens at Museum of Florida History 

For Immediate Release - September 19, 2011
Contact: Kristen Knapp, APR
(850) 224-3907 or kknapp@fhca.org

Tallahassee, FL – The Museum of Florida History has opened the Art from the Heart exhibit at its Heritage Gallery, featuring artwork from 15 nursing home and assisted living facility (ALF) residents from across Florida. The artwork is a collection of entries from the Florida Health Care Association’s (FHCA) Art from the Heart program and will be on display in the downtown Tallahassee museum through December 4.

Thirty-seven (37) nursing home and ALF residents submitted entries for FHCA’s 2011 Art from the Heart program. The contributing artists range from ages 32 to 96. Some have been creating art their entire lives, while others have recently discovered their artistic talents thanks to facilities’ activity and enrichment programs. FHCA’s Art from the Heart program helps shine the spotlight on both the creative abilities of these talented residents and the wide variety of activities that occur daily in FHCA’s 500+ member nursing home and assisted living facilities.

The following resident artwork is featured in the museum exhibit:

• Ms. Loraine Strnad (Age 90), Palm Garden of Ocala
• Ms. Helene Kereluk (Age 85), The Cloisters of Deland 
• Ms. Doris Roman (Age 74), Evans Health Care, Ft. Myers
• Ms. Catherine Hawkes (Age 62), Arbor Trail Rehab & Skilled Nursing Center, Inverness
• Ms. Rebecca B. Hardy (Age 96) Windsor Manor, Starke
• Ms. Shirley Kuhn (Age 75) St. Augustine Health & Rehabilitation
• Mr. Andrew Harris(Age 32), Laurellwood Nursing Center, St. Petersburg
• Ms. Daisy Gordon (Age 79), Health Central Park, Winter Garden
• Mr. Thomas  Bowman (Age 59), Heritage Health Care Center, Venice
• Ms. Rita M. Palombo (Age 91), Pines Of Sarasota
• Ms. Rose Habeeb (Age 95), Page Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, Ft. Myers
• Ms. Marjorie Bryan (Age 89), Lake Harris Health System, Leesburg
• Ms. Jesse Bytell  (Age 93) Palm Garden of Pinellas, Largo
• Ms. Margaret M.  Kish (Age 63), Coral Trace Health Care, Cape Coral
• Ms. Jonell Polansky (in memoriam), Regal Palms ALF,  Largo

 “The stories behind what each artist was trying to convey with their artwork is inspiring. The program gives us an opportunity to treasure these elders and celebrate their unique abilities, as well as showcase the dedicated staff in Florida’s long term care facilities who are committed to helping enhancing residents’ quality of life,” said Emmett Reed, FHCA Executive Director.

All 37 artwork entries from the 2011 Art from the Heart program can be seen in the slideshow below.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

For more information about FHCA’s Art from the Heart program, visit the Quality Improvement section in the FHCA website at www.fhca.org. 

ABOUT THE FLORIDA HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION
The Florida Health Care Association (FHCA) is a federation which serves nearly 1,000 members and represents over 500 long term care facilities that provide skilled nursing, post-acute and sub-acute care, short-term rehab, assisted living and other services to the frail elderly and individuals with disabilities in Florida. The mission of FHCA is to advance the quality of services, image, professional development and financial stability of its members. As Florida's first and largest advocacy organization for long term care providers and the elderly they serve, the Association has worked diligently since 1954 to assist its members with continuously improving quality of care and quality of life for the state’s growing elder care population. For more information about the Florida Health Care Association, visit www.fhca.org.

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