Fall 2010
The Mayflower
A
1620 Mayflower Court
P U B L I C A T I O N
O F
T H E
Winter Park, Florida 32792
M AY F L O W E R
(407) 672-1620
R E T I R E M E N T
C O M M U N I T Y
“Security for
Generations”
The Mayflower Is a Smart Choice for
Both Residents and Their Families
I
t’s true that “home is where
the heart is,” but in the case
of Mayflower residents Annette
Rosch and Marjorie Bekaert –
and their children – it’s also
where they find peace of mind.
Getting Even Closer
Annette Rosch and her
daughter, Jeannie Leavitt, have
always been close – even though
they lived several hours apart.
Jeannie traveled frequently from
Winter Park to St. Petersburg to
see her mom – but during one of
those trips, she was in a serious
automobile accident. At that
moment, she – along with her
husband, Mark, an Orlando
attorney – decided it was time
to get closer, proximity-wise.
Annette agreed.
A physical therapist at Florida
Hospital, Jeannie wanted her
mother to live at The Mayflower.
“It was a no-brainer,” she says.
“We visited various communities
and talked to people who
worked in the industry and
who had older parents. The
Mayflower name kept coming
up. All levels of care are
right here.”
That, as it turned out, was a
good thing. On the very day
Annette was supposed to move
in, she broke her arm while at the
Leavitt’s house, and wound up
going straight to The Mayflower’s
5-Star, Gold Seal Health Center,
followed by rehab and physical
therapy right on-site.
“For me, it was an eye-opening
experience. I knew from day
one – literally – that I was in
Jeannie and Mark Leavitt (standing) have peace of mind, now that Annette Rosch
(Jeannie’s mother) lives at The Mayflower.
good hands. My family and I
breathed a huge sigh of relief,”
Annette says.
Adds Jeannie: “That experience
helped solidify our decision.
When we called The Mayflower
to explain what happened, we
were told, ‘She’s one of ours now,
and we’ll take good care of her.’
We can’t begin to measure the
security and peace of mind that
gives us.”
When Annette returned to her
new apartment after two weeks
in rehab, her family surprised her
by organizing and designing the
entire apartment. “I felt like it
was a happy ending to a great
beginning,” she says with a smile.
A Family Decision
Sisters Marjorie Thomas (left) and Susan Bekaert (standing) love living right
around the corner from their mother, Marjorie Bekaert (right).
125YEARS
For Winter Park residents
Marjorie Thomas and Susan
Bekaert, living 622 miles away
from their mother, Marjorie
Bekaert, became a journey too far.
“Although it’s less than two
hours by air from Orlando to
Wilmington, N.C., where mom
lived, we were constantly
concerned about what we’d do
if an emergency occurred,” says
Susan. “It was a worry, and it
became a reality after mom had
a bad fall.”
H A P P Y A N N I V E R S A R Y, R O L L I N S C O L L E G E !
We’re so proud of our partnership (see story, p.2)
“That scared us – and we all
decided ‘it was time,’”says
Marjorie. “I came to The
Mayflower straight from North
Carolina. But, before I made the
move, my daughters researched
a number of communities. They
wanted the ‘perfect place’, and
they found it.”
Marjorie’s daughters knew
from the first moment they
entered The Mayflower that
it was the right fit. “We called
mom right away and said,
‘Everyone here looks like your
friend,’” says Marjorie.
With her daughters living and
working right around the corner,
(Marjorie is co-owner of Ivanhoe
Communications, an Orlando
television news company, and
Susan is the webmaster there),
Marjorie couldn’t be happier.
But the best part: They all feel
like she’s in good hands, even if
they are out of town.
“Not only do I feel safe, but
I feel comfortable – all the time,”
says Marjorie. “It’s truly a
maintenance-free lifestyle with
lots to do. I enjoy every day here.”
INSIDE
PASSAGES
Life Lessons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
The Villas at The Mayflower . . . . . . . . 4
Life Lessons...
xanne Szal
Jean Lunin and Ro
Rollins Students, Mayflower Residents Share
Common Focus in Collaborative Partnership
Bridging the Generation Gap
ts work on their
Mayflower residen
d
an
nts
de
stu
s
Rollin
ect.
Memory Book proj
Rollins student
Melissa Manley
visits Billie Van Horn
at The Mayflower.
Bringing History to Life
For Rollins sophomore Melissa Manley,
the class has enabled her to see history
through a different lens. She and Mayflower
resident Billie Van Horn worked together
See U @ Animal Kingdom
Carole Service text messages her Rollins classmates. Interacting
with them has increased her texting prowess, she says.
Looking Back, Looking Forward,
Learning Together
Each Mayflower resident in the Memory
Book class has approached the project from a
different angle. For example, Ruth McDaniel
is focusing on her move from Los Angeles to
Winter Park – and why it was one of the best
choices she ever made. John Eis is highlighting
▼
Michael Gallace
with John Eis
Jean Lunin and Roxanne Szal have a lot in
common. Both are self-assured, assertive,
support the same political candidates, love
traveling and are only children. But, with
more than a half century age difference
between them, it’s likely their paths may
never have crossed.
However, thanks to a partnership between
The Mayflower and Rollins College, new
relationships are being cultivated on both
campuses – bridging generations through the
love of learning. This semester, the
intergenerational initiative includes two
projects: “What Makes My Life Matter?” –
a seminar that explores life experiences; and
“Memory and the Photograph,” which focuses
on the role that images and photographs play
in defining memories.
Jean and Roxanne met in the photo class,
where students are working one-on-one
with 20 Mayflower seniors to create a visual
memory book focusing on various aspects of
the residents’ lives.
“We don’t have the opportunity for a
lot of intergenerational learning in our
culture because we segment ourselves –
and we’re missing out,” says Jennifer
Queen, associate professor of psychology
at Rollins. “It’s an enriching experience
for both the students and seniors because
they’re serving as peers and mentors to
each other.”
his successful 57-year career selling more than
on a Memory Book that displays pictures
11,000 vehicles for Chevrolet. In his most
of Billie and her mother, as well as period
memorable photo, he is pictured beside the
photos from each decade of their lives.
first car he ever sold – a used 1953 four-door
“My mother was born in 1888 and died in
coupe. His wife Winnie’s project, titled
1986, so she went from using a horse and
“A Kaleidoscope of My Life,” reflects the
buggy to seeing a man land on the moon,”
“brilliance” and “color” of the people and
says Billie. “My father died when I was an
places she has encountered through the years.
infant, so my mother was left to raise four
“When we share experiences together,
children on her own during the Great
Winnie is looking back
Depression. The way she
and I’m looking
experienced life was
forward, but together
much different – and
we learn a lot from
harder – than the way
each other,” says her
I did. This project is a
student partner Lucas
tribute to her life.”
Hernandez.
For Melissa, listening
to Billie’s memories
Finding Purpose
about growing up
and Meaning
during the Depression
brings history to life for
In addition to the
me. “I learn not only
Memory Book, eight
about the historical side
Mayflower residents
of the photos, but also
are helping Rollins
the emotional side,”
freshmen with a
she says.
project titled “What
The endeavor is
Makes My Life Matter?”
equally fulfilling from
from their course
Billie’s perspective.
“Justice: Good and Evil.”
“Melissa brings such
The students spend
enthusiasm, creativity
time with their
and technological savvy
assigned Mayflower
to this project,” she
partners, with the goal
adds. “I couldn’t do it
Mayflower residents BJ McKee (top) and Tom Polgar of discovering how
without her.”
discuss their life experiences with Rollins freshmen.
ordinary people do
For Carole Service, The Mayflower’s partnership with Rollins College is more than just an
opportunity to learn new things. It has also been an opportunity to make new friends. And the
relationship Carole has developed with her student partners, Annamarie Carlson and Amy Teixera,
has extended beyond the classroom.
Recently, the three women took a spur-of-the-moment trip to Animal Kingdom, riding a LYNX
bus to their destination. “We learned during our interviews with Carole that she loves animals,”
says Amy. “Annamarie and I were planning a visit to Animal Kingdom, so we texted Carole to ask
if she’d like to go. It wound up being an adventure for all of us and brought us even closer.”
As to what life lessons the two have learned from Carole: They say her philosophy of “paying
it forward” will be the focal point of their essay.
“Carole’s ability to help others and act genuinely and selflessly comes so naturally to her,”
says Amy. “It’s inspiring and makes me want to be a better person.”
For Carole’s part, she wants her new friends to remember the importance of giving back. “Things don’t always
go according to plan,” she says. “But, you have to make the best of it, no matter what. Our life becomes more
meaningful through giving back to others and through other people enriching our lives.”
Mayflower resident Carole Service and Rollins
students Annamarie Carlson and Amy Teixera
enjoy a day at Animal Kingdom.
extraordinary things
with their lives. Their findings are documented
in essay form.
“By spending time and interviewing
residents, students get to internalize the
factors about what brings richness to lives,”
says instructor Marvin Newman, professor of
legal studies and communications at Rollins.
“Mayflower residents are sharing their stories
to help others understand what really matters
in life.”
“The thought-provoking interactions taking
place in these classes really resonate with
both the students and our residents,” says
Mayflower Director of Marketing Jana Ricci,
who was instrumental in working with
Rollins’ Office of Community Engagement to
bring this lifelong learning initiative to fruition.
Micki Meyer, director of the Office of
Community Engagement at Rollins, explains
that academic experiences like these are both
transactional and transformational. “When
we’re young, we spend our time trying to
create purpose and meaning in our lives.
And when we’re older, we reflect on the
purpose and meaning in our lives,” says
Micki. “Intergenerational learning enables
us to understand and help each other, and
we ultimately find that we are more closely
linked than we originally thought.”
Mayflower residents enjoy wireless Internet service
in The Grille Room, their own “cyber café.”
CONNECTED!
Seniors Embrace
New Technology
ot a day goes by when Mayflower resident
Jack Williamson doesn’t spend roughly 6-7 hours on
the Internet, navigating through cyberspace via Google,
YouTube, Facebook and Skype.
“Thanks to the Internet, your knowledge is limited only
by your imagination. Technology keeps the mind sharp,”
says the former business owner and accountant, who
also teaches a computer course at The Mayflower.
Jack is typical of a new generation of tech-savvy
seniors whose numbers are soaring. A recent Nielsen
survey shows that people age 65+ actively using the
Internet rose to 17.5
million in 2009 –
up 55% from 2004.
Twenty percent of
adults in that same
age group are now
texting. In addition,
a Pew Research
report noted the
increasing number
of seniors over 85
who are using the
Internet (Facebook
and YouTube in
particular).
Relaxing poolside, Jack
Why does that
Williamson checks his e-mails.
matter? Studies
show that using computers and mobile devices is not just
convenient, it can also be good for you. According to a
report by the Phoenix Center, spending time online may
reduce the risk of developing depression by 20 percent
for seniors, by enabling them to maintain relationships
with family and friends at a time in their lives when travel
and mobility are more difficult.
Keenly aware of these trends, The Mayflower has
installed wireless Internet in the community’s common
areas. “I take my laptop everywhere,” Jack adds. “My
wife is now in the Mayflower Health Center, so I can show
her the Facebook photos of our grandchildren and great
grandchild. I even ‘Skype’ with my family and talk with
them through the computer! The Internet has literally
changed the way we communicate as a society.”
N
T h e
V i l l a s
at
T h e
M a y f l o w e r :
Your Own Home. Your Own Yard.
Your Own Long-Term Care Plan.
I
f you’re not quite ready to give up
the house and the yard – but you don’t
want any of the hassles associated with
home maintenance – independent
living at The Villas at The Mayflower
is right for you. Out the back door,
you’ll have plenty of room for
gardening, if you choose. And just
across the
street, you
can enjoy a
leisurely
afternoon
of fishing at
Villa Lake.
All residences
in this friendly
neighborhood have easy access to
The Mayflower Commons Building
and are within walking distance of
shopping.
The Villas at The Mayflower
comprise two-bedroom/two-bath
courtyard, manor and patio homes up
to 1,596 square feet. All come standard
with a host of features – including
security systems and smoke detectors;
all-electric, full-sized appliances;
custom, walk-in closets; attached
garages and much more.
But, if you’re in the mood to be
creative by adding even more custom
upgrades to your Villa, well, bring it on!
“We understand that this is a big
move for our
residents,”
says Director
of Marketing
Jana Ricci.
“So we don’t
take a ‘one
size fits all’
approach.
Most upgrades and customizations are
available at an additional cost, but we
do our best to be as flexible and
accommodating as possible. Now –
with our special incentive package –
we’re offering even more value. You can
literally save thousands of dollars on
upgrades. If you’ve ever considered
moving to The Villas, now is the time!”
s p e c i a l o f f e r ava i l a b l e n o w !
We’ll Get You Here
& Keep You Going!
1620 Mayflower Court
Winter Park, FL 32792
For a limited time only, The Villas at The Mayflower
is offering a customized upgrade package that includes
solid-surface countertops, upgraded master bath and
other modifications. Reserve your home by January 31,
2011 – and we’ll add a free golf cart and concrete
pad. Plus, we’ll even pay your moving expenses!
How’s that for a good reason not to wait? So don’t
give up the house and the yard. Just give up all the
hassles that come with them. Secure your future and
your estate in style at The Villas at The Mayflower.
Call us today to learn more: (407) 672-1620.
Upgraded master bathrooms are
part of the upgrade package.
I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE MAYFLOWER!
❐ I’m interested in The Villas. ❐ I’d like to schedule a tour. Please call me. ❐ Please send me general information about The Mayflower.
❐ I’m particularly interested in the Health Center. Please call me. ❐ Please contact me regarding The Mayflower Waiting List.
NAME
ADDRESS
AREA CODE & PHONE NUMBER
CITY
STATE
ZIP
E-MAIL
Winter Park’s Distinctive Retirement Community
1620 Mayflower Court Winter Park, FL 32792
(407) 672-1620 www.themayflower.com
■
■
The Mayflower Retirement Center, Inc., a non-profit corporation, owns and operates The Mayflower (88141PRAD 11/2010)
LIMITED OPENINGS for Rehab or Long-Term Care in The Mayflower’s
5-Star, Gold Seal Health Center. CALL TODAY: (407) 672-1620
Presorted
Standard
U.S. Postage
PAID
Zip Code 32824
Permit No. 1478