The Gatesworth’s Breakfast with Santa was bound to throw at least some children for a loop. Like Adelaide—resident Dr. Robert (Bob) Thach’s 4 1/2-year-old granddaughter—who believes old St. Nick is purely nocturnal. He only comes out at night. But because this is The Gatesworth, where holidays are celebrated in style, he made an exception and showed up, just this once, to hear firsthand what is on, in the words of her grandfather, her “much-too-long Christmas list.”
And Adelaide is in for more treats. “It’s all about our residents being able to continue to do the things they loved when they lived at home,” says program director Kathy Davis, who has conceived and organized the retirement community’s programs for the past 16 years.
A more recent addition to the lineup of holiday festivities is the Winter Carnival, now in its fourth year and billed as “the event for the child in all of us.” This year, as well as the usual swirl of balloons and clowns and music, a tumbling/juggling performance was featured by Circus Harmony/City Museum duo Chauncey and Zak. Davis delights in her party planning, in the “holiday magic” she says she always tries to sprinkle into things. “You should see the guests’ faces,” she says, thinking back to the merriment of last year when adults and children alike were dazzled by acrobats and magic tricks. “I want to plan things that evoke warm, happy memories. It’s so important, especially for people who don’t have family.”
Thach says Th
e Gatesworth’s emphasis on family has been a blessing since his wife passed away last year, one year after the couple moved to the retirement community. “Being here is ideal for many reasons,” he says, explaining that Parkinson’s has limited his mobility and he no longer can walk very far. Thach has three children, all raised in University City a few blocks from Wash. U., where he worked as a biochemist.
Davis says Adelaide clearly takes after her grandfather where brains are concerned, and Thach admits that the little girl does have her own way of viewing the world. A recent trip to the zoo has sparked an interest in penguins, which Adelaide says aren’t birds (because they can’t fly), but aliens from Pluto (because it’s the coldest planet). “It makes sense, I suppose,” Thach says.
Davis adds, “She is the most enchanting child. As sharp as a whip, delighting in everything.” Indeed, Davis says it’s the residents’ grandchildren and great-grandchildren who light up the holidays almost more than the events themselves. “At holiday time, you can be a little blue if you’ve outlived a spouse or never had children,” Davis explains. “But the minute a child walks through those doors, it changes everything.”
Pictured: Gatesworth residents Jack and Donna Ward with grandsons Hudson and Lucas
Photo: Tim Parker Photography
The Gatesworth offers a wealth of opportunities for residents to host friends and family on its campus during the holidays and year-round. Pictured on the cover: Gatesworth resident Dr. Robert (Bob) Thach with granddaughter Adelaide. For more information, call 314.993.0111 or visit thegatesworth.com.
Cover design by Toky Branding + Design
