Meet David and Tam
January 20, 2023
Few people would want to give up living in a Hawaiian paradise to move to the mainland, but the Francos found their own paradise in Mount Dora. Struggles with making the long journey to visit family led to David and Tam beginning the hunt for a home closer to their loved ones. David described their problem, sharing that, “We’ve enjoyed retirement in Hawaii for 10 years, and that was great, but as we’re getting older, it’s getting harder to make long trips.” It was hard for David and Tam to leave the west coast where they’ve been living together since college, but the couple was excited to be closer to their family.
Finding Mount Dora
The search for a community took many tours across many states for the couple. They began their search in Oregon, but it wasn’t aligned with their desire for shorter travel to visit loved ones. “My sister lives in Tampa, so we came to Florida looked in Tampa and Clearwater, but they were too hustle and bustle for us,” David told us about their search. While touring around, they stumbled across Lakeside at Waterman Village during an online search. Not only was it the perfect, relaxed location and close to family, but the amenities were perfectly aligned with their needs. The on-campus skilled nursing and long-term care options provide an extra layer of comfort for the Francos. “You don’t have to worry about needing to find a new place if any issues come up,” Tam noted. “It’s already here for you.”
The couple made the big move from Hawaii in February and officially moved into their new home in July. Chain supply issues backed up the shipment of their car and furniture, but luckily the available common spaces and amenities as well as the convenient location of the campus made it easy for David and Tam to live comfortably. Access to Savor, the on-campus restaurant, and other campus dining options meant healthy, delicious meals despite their cookware being stuck in boxes states away. Tam reflected on their first few weeks living at Lakeside without furniture, “There are so many things offered here to make our life easier, so we didn’t have to worry about things like cooking.”
Enjoying Living Lakeside
The Franco’s live in a medium sized two-bedroom, two-bathroom floor plan located in a beautiful private building with only fifteen other residents. Their biggest issue with Lakeside living so far? Settling on activities! Tam laughed while expressing their daily struggle with narrowing down the extensive list of offered activities. “There’s a lot of good services and activities they plan here. It keeps us very busy.” The couple visits the nearby country club often for golfing. They also take advantage of the fitness facilities and classes offered for residents. Tam enjoys using the walking paths and taking strolls around the lake while enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. She also enjoys attending learning opportunities as a way to keep her brain active. Happy hours and special activity evenings were an easy way for the couple to meet other residents. There’s a strong social life for Lakeside residents, and it was easy for David and Tam to make friends.
“There are nearby primary care offices, so I can drive my golf cart to the doctor. There’s grocery shopping across the street, and the town is near enough for us to go to activities,” they shared. They’re also able to visit their family in nearby Tampa and Orlando in under an hour drive. When the couple doesn’t feel like driving around, they take the bus offered by the community that drives roundtrips to downtown shopping areas.
“It’s like living at a resort. We don’t have to do anything but enjoy ourselves,” Tam praised with a smile. Retiring at Lakeside can feel like a resort or a relaxing forever home. Whatever type of retirement you want to have, call us today at 352-385-1120, or register for an upcoming informational event to learn how Lakeside can make it your reality.
