The Palace Group Embraces Aging Hispanic Population

September 23, 2015, PRNewswire/ -- Hispanics are the nation's fastest growing population and innovative senior housing operators such as The Palace Group (www.ThePalace.org) have implemented company-wide changes to appeal to these prospective residents.

"A significant reason most seniors and their families consider a senior community is for socialization benefits.

If an aging parent feels uncomfortable communicating with staff or her neighbors, it may lead to isolation and depression," said Adam Rosenblum, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for The Palace Group.

"Choosing a community that understands and embraces the cultural differences will ensure happiness and provide peace of mind for the entire family."

At The Palace's continuum of care campus in the Kendall-area of Miami, activity calendars now reflect the changing interests of residents. Each community offers extremely social events with cocktail parties at least once per week.

The variety of entertainment appeals to the social nature of Hispanic residents who appreciate the fun and lively nature of the programs.

Food service has also been adapted to The Palace's Hispanic population. The menu offers selections that appeal to Latin tastes. Continental breakfasts include Cuban coffee, a stronger and sweeter version than espresso, and pastries called pastelitos and croquettas. Lunch and dinner menus include black beans and rice, plantains and conger.

Additionally, at The Palace Suites, the company's luxury independent living community, an Espresso Bar was installed and serves as a central gathering place. Residents enjoy meeting friends and reading the morning paper along with their daily coffee. Selections include Cuban coffee along with cappuccino and espresso. 

"Seventy-five percent of The Palace's employees bilingual," added Rosenblum. "We realized there was a need to appeal to and attract Spanish speaking employees and that employee training needed to be available in Spanish. Our two-day orientation is also available in English and Spanish."

The Palace offers support groups that have been especially popular with Hispanic families. Led by a Spanish-speaking facilitator, these groups offer guidance to family members. The peer group discussions address changing family dynamics and offer resources for additional support.

"Our communities truly celebrate the differences of our residents," said Rosenblum. "Hispanic heritage simply isn't recognized from September 15-October 15 at The Palace. It's celebrated each and every day."

FAU Poll Shows Hispanics Believe Immigration is Important Election Issue and Favor Clinton and Trump for Nominations

Newswise, September 21, 2015 — An overwhelming majority of Hispanics say immigration is an important issue in the 2016 presidential race, and they’re throwing their support behind Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, according to the latest survey conducted by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative (FAU BEPI) in the College of Business.

When asked how important the issue of immigration is in their decision on who to vote for as president, 60 percent ranked it as very important, while another 32 percent called it somewhat important – only 8 percent of respondents said the issue was not important at all.

More than 45 percent of those surveyed said they will vote in the Democratic primary, compared with 20 percent voting in the Republican primary, 22 percent undecided and 13 percent not voting in either primary.

Clinton topped the Democratic side of the survey, winning 65 percent of the vote, with Bernie Sanders taking 13.4 percent and Joe Biden 12.3 percent. Sanders fared strongest in the Midwest, where he trails Clinton 49 percent to 34 percent.

“Clinton’s weakness in other national polls has not been as pronounced among Hispanics in our survey,” said Kevin Wagner, Ph.D., associate professor of political science at FAU and a research fellow of the Initiative. “This may indicate that Clinton has a strong base of support among Hispanic voters.”

Trump has the support of 39.4 percent of Hispanics who plan to vote in the Republican primary, edging out Jeb Bush, who garnered 35.7 percent. Marco Rubio scored 5.6 percent; Ted Cruz with 5.1 percent; Scott Walker with 4 percent; Ben Carson with 3.6 percent and Rand Paul with 1.6 percent.

Women voted for Trump over Bush 41 percent to 32 percent, while men were split at 39 percent for each. Trump did particularly well among older Hispanics – ages 55 and over – with 29 percent, compared to Rubio at 20 percent, Bush at 15 percent and Cruz at 10 percent in this age group.

Highest income earners supported Trump with 68 percent of the vote compared to 9 percent for Bush.

“At this stage, it is interesting to note that both Trump and Bush are well ahead of other candidates with Republican Hispanics in our sample, including Cuban-American Florida Senator Marco Rubio,” Wagner said.

The survey was conducted nationally from Aug. 1 through Aug. 31. The polling sample consisted of 500 Hispanics with a margin of error of +/- 4.33 percent and a 95 percent confidence level

Smithsonian Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Newswise, September 14, 2015 — The Smithsonian invites the public to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15–Oct. 15) with a series of vibrant performances, lectures, family activities and exhibitions at various museums around the Smithsonian. All programs are free unless otherwise indicated. For a full calendar of events, visitwww.SmithsonianEducation.org/Heritage.

Feature Event

The Smithsonian will present “Celebration of ‘The Great Inka Road’ Family Day” Sunday, Sept. 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the National Museum of the American Indian.

his bilingual, museum-wide family day features Andean music and dance as well as Inka-related activities, including a “pop-up planetarium” showing the unique Inka constellations. A portion of the family day is made possible by Southwest Airlines and features ¡Descubra!, a Meet the Science Expert program activity supported by NBC Universal Telemundo and the Learning is Succeeding initiative.

Lectures

The National Museum of American History will kick -off a national Latinos in Baseball collecting initiative with an Oct. 15 panel discussion moderated by Eduardo Díaz, director of the Smithsonian Latino Center.

 The discussion, “In the Barrios and the Big Leagues,” will look at baseball as a social and cultural force within Latino communities across the nation. Panelists include Adrian Burgos of the University of Illinois, Jose Alamillo and Cesar Caballero of California State University, and Sarah Gould and Priscilla Leiva of the University of Texas. The program begins at 6 p.m. in the museum’s Warner Bros. Theater.

Dolores Huerta will discuss her life and activism in a live interview with Taína Caragol, curator of Latino art and history at the National Portrait Gallery Thursday, Sept. 24, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Doors to the museum’s Nan Tucker McEvoy Auditorium will open at 6:30 p.m.

Book Signing

The Anacostia Community Museum will host a talk and book signing Sunday, Oct. 11, at 2 p.m. Michael Donoghue will sign copies of his new book Borderland on the Isthmus, which examines the internal boundaries, conflicts and accommodations among the Panamanian people during the creation of the Panama Canal Zone.

Performances

In light of improved U.S.-Cuban relations, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra will present two concerts featuring the music of Chano Pozo, Mario Bauza, Machito and other influential Cuban composers. The National Museum of American History will host “Afro-Cuban Jazz Masterworks: In Full Swing” Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16 and Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m.

The Anacostia Community Museum will present “Rhythm Café: Tribute to the Sound of Carlos Santana” during its monthly live jazz program Saturday, Oct. 10, at 2 p.m. The program will feature David Cole, who was influenced by the fused rock and Latin rhythms of Santana.

Film

The Anacostia Community Museum will screen Rebel: Loreta Velazquez, Secret Soldier of the American Civil War, the PBS docudrama that brings to life the story of Loreta Velazquez, a Cuban-born woman who served in the Civil War disguised as a man. Scholars from the Civil War Trust will hold a Q&A after the film, Sunday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m.

Bring the Kids

The National Museum of the American Indian in New York, the George Gustav Heye Center, will host Hispanic Heritage Family Day, Saturday, Sept. 19, from noon to 4 p.m. with activities such as bracelet and button making, decorating a jaguar mask and coloring an animal pendant. The day is held in conjunction with the exhibition “Cerámica de los Ancestros: Central America’s Past Revealed.” On Wednesdays, “Toddler Music with Irka Mateo” teaches toddlers (14 months–3 years) about Taino culture through stories, song, movement and hands-on activities, all led by renowned Taino musician Irka Mateo. First come, first served. Ongoing through Dec. 16.

The National Portrait Gallery will host ¡Sí se puede!: Dolores Huerta Family Day Sunday, Oct. 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to celebrate the work of teacher and activist Dolores Huerta. The day will include music, storytelling, family activities and bilingual tours of the exhibition “One Life: Dolores Huerta.”

The National Zoo’s annual celebration, ZooFiesta, Sept. 20 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. features animals from Latin America: golden lion tamarins, Andean bears, anteaters, sloths, and more. The day includes animal feedings, musical entertainment, educational activities and authentic cuisine at a food bazaar.

The National Air and Space Museum will celebrate Latin American contributions to aviation and space exploration at its Hispanic Heritage Family Day: Innovators in Aviation and Space, Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Meet scientists and engineers—including a NASA astronaut—and participate in bilingual activities. The program is made possible by the Northrop Grumman Corp.

Demonstrations

The National Museum of American History holds “Food Fridays.” In each Food Friday program, a guest chef and a Smithsonian host prepare a recipe as they discuss the history of the dish. Throughout the month of September, Food Fridays will explore the cuisines of Spain, the Spanish Caribbean, Mexico and Central and South America.

After the 45-minute demonstration, visitors can purchase a related dish in the museum’s Stars & Stripes Cafe. It complements the daylong festival, “Food History Weekend: Innovation on Your Plate,” Saturday, Oct. 24, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Activities on Saturday include cooking demonstrations by Pati Jinich of Pati’s Mexican Table and Neftali Duran of El Jardin Bakery in South Deerfield, Mass. Chef Duran discusses Oaxacan cooking and its place in American cuisine.

Exhibitions

Opening on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the National Museum of American History presents “The 1965 Hart-Celler Act”. This display includes such Latino-related artifacts as an original United Farm Workers pin, a 1960s record album by the meringue band Primitivo y Su Combo and a shirt worn by a Cuban boy who was part of Operation Pedro Pan, which brought young people to the U.S. after Fidel Castro came to power.

New Releases

Smithsonian Folkways has recently released Tradición, Arte y Pasión by Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, a tribute to mariachi legend Nati Cano, who died in 2014.

All Hispanic Heritage month programs at the Smithsonian are subject to change. Unless otherwise indicated, Smithsonian Heritage Month programs are free. For more information about Hispanic Heritage Month programs, visit www.SmithsonianEducation.org/Heritage or email heritagemonths@si.edu . For general Smithsonian information, the public may call 202-633-1000.