The Palms at Ponte Vedra

It was three years ago that my brother and I discovered The Palms when we were looking for a safe and happy home for our mother who has advanced dementia. Immediately, we knew The Palms was the right place for her. We felt and saw the warmth and the liveliness. People socializing, playing games, happily going about their lives. This was home. Since that day, the staff at the Palms has become a trusted and loved extended family. They make tremendous efforts to get to know my mother as she is now and who she was before. They have forged bonds with her that she values as family. They also make it a point to stay connected to us, communicating with us all the time about how she is doing or to set up a video chat with her. The strongest endorsement of The Palms I can give comes from my father. His love and dedication to my mother over the last ten years were both a heartbreaking and beautiful experience to witness. Over the last year, his ability to visit with her became more limited as his strength weakened. His regular lunch visits became more sporadic and he found it hard to sustain the energy for extended visits. As he grew more ill, he agreed to move to closer to my brother and me, knowing he would have to separate from my mother and most likely would not see her again. He trusted The Palms with the most precious person in his life. Just before he died, he asked me to keep my mother at The Palms because it is her home and she is happy there. Even though her children were not local and he would not be with her, he felt strongly that The Palms provided the safety, happiness and support she needed.And, he was right. It is her home and she is very happy.

My 87 y/o mother was there for approximately 2 1/2 months for respite care and I cannot express how grateful I am to ALL the staff there for making her feel so welcome. I came and went many times and at different times and I was always greeted with friendly, smiling faces. She loved all the activities, especially the exercise pool. She became more social, gained confidence, gained weight and told all her family how nice the staff was which is critical for an ALF. I would highly recommend this place and am hoping my mother can return again next winter. Kiddos to the entire staff for all their kindness, compassion and hard work.Lydia Cummins