The Legacy of “Grandma” Gytia
Our history is rooted in a very personal story.
For years, Garry worked in the physical therapy field, assisting seniors with immobility and rehabilitation in hospitals and nursing homes. He saw the system up close. He saw the gaps. But nothing prepared him for what happened to our own family.
Our Aunt Gytia—whom we affectionately called “Grandma”—was the heart of our family. Then, she fell while walking in the park. Within six months, the woman we knew began to fade. She started forgetting who we were. She became physically debilitated, wheelchair-bound, and trapped in a world of confusion.
We took care of her. We loved her. But as caregivers, we felt the crushing weight of the burden.
The Hard Truth We Learned:
When dementia sets in, it’s often the spouse or a close relative who becomes the primary caregiver. The family ends up taking the brunt of the emotional and physical stress.
In the chaos of care, the relationship changes.
You stop seeing the person you fell in love with or the relative you cherished, and you start seeing the “patient.” The joy, the connection, and the family bond begin to erode under the strain of caregiving.
The Turning Point:
Watching “Grandma” Gytia struggle, and seeing our own family stretched to the breaking point, we asked ourselves: Why does it have to be this way?
We became inspired to create a community where we could take that burden off of families, so they could go back to being just loving family members again.
So, Michael left his corporate job in the tech industry to join Garry. Together, we founded Palm Villas.
Our Mission
Enhancing Lives, Not Just Managing Symptoms
Our mission is simple but profound: To enhance the lives of seniors living with dementia.
This isn’t just a slogan; it permeates everything we do. We specialize in caring for seniors with memory impairments, but we don’t just “manage” them.
We provide:
- Dedicated, Experienced Care Team: Many of our caregivers and staff members have been with Palm Villas for years, providing residents and families with the comfort of familiar faces, trusted relationships, and consistent, compassionate care.
- Daily Enrichment: Social and stimulating activities designed to awaken the senses, encourage engagement, and support cognitive well-being.
- Compassionate Support: Assistance with daily living activities including bathing, grooming, dressing, dining, toileting, podiatry care, medication management and family caregiver support groups.
We believe that no matter their age or condition, every resident deserves a dignified, joyful life.
What families are saying
After what seemed like a never ending search for a perfect facility for Mom, we found Palm Villas. Our Mom had special requests and Gary agreed immediately saying “we can do that.” Our Mom had been living alone and would have a lot of adjustments. When she entered Palm Villas, she was an elderly frustrated woman just waiting for her life to end.
In less than 6 months, our Mom was a new person, enjoying life and looking forward to each new day.
She appeared and felt ten years younger, all due to the loving care she received from the Palm Villas family.
A special thanks to Garry and Michael for helping to make the transition from the family home our mother lived in for over 60 years to her new home. We thank Lu for all the activities he provided which gave her many hours of joy and happiness.
-The Harter Family
A Community “Grandma” Gytia Would Be Proud Of
This is more than a facility. It’s a promise to every family that walks through our doors.
We promise to treat your loved one not as a diagnosis, but as a person with a history, a story, and a right to joy. We promise to support you, the family, so you can be the son, daughter, or spouse again—not just the caregiver.
And we promise that this is a community that “Grandma” Gytia would have been proud of.
— Garry and Michael Sneper Founders, Palm Villas