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Why Marion and Irv Are Leaving The Villages for Our Brand-New Community in Mount Dora

April 7, 2021

Marion and Irv Getzes moved to Florida from the Philadelphia area about 15 years ago. They had a house built at The Villages, and shared that house with both of their mothers for many years. Recently, the Getzes realized that the best option for their future would be choosing a different type of retirement community in central Florida.

Fortunately, Marion and Irv had a unique opportunity at a perfect waterfront location fall right into their lap. They discovered Lakeside at Waterman Village.

We spoke with Marion to learn what led her and Irv to place their deposit and reserve their brand-new residence at our community that will surround shimmering Lake Margaret. Here is what she had to say!

Making a proactive decision that’s guaranteed for life

Marion’s experience living with and caring for her elderly mother and mother-in-law was one major factor that sparked her and Irv to look elsewhere for their next step. Marion and Irv soundly decided that they did not want to have to coordinate healthcare services for themselves in the future or burden their out-of-state son with that challenge.

“At Lakeside at Waterman Village, we will not need to move out of the community as our needs change. We would have to move later if we stayed here,” Marion said.

It’s not all about healthcare, though, for Irv and Marion. They don’t want to wait until their needs may evolve. They want to move while they are still in control of their decision and are physically able to enjoy the amenity-rich, resort-style living at Lakeside.

“The amenities, housekeeping, transportation, dining program; that’s all very important to me,” Marion said. “And I like how there are as many activities as we choose to develop, while having access to all the activities and amenities at The Oaks.”

“The time to do what we want is while we’re still able to do it!” Marion exclaimed.

Lakeside in a nutshell: ‘Friendly, beautiful, togetherness, warmth’

Today, the Getzes find that their current house no longer suits their needs. Marion also noted that the place they currently reside has grown beyond their preference.

“We look forward to being part of a smaller, more tight-knit community,” she said.

That is just what they found at Lakeside at Waterman Village, and they noticed a special sense of camaraderie and caring when they made their first visit to charming Mount Dora.

“If I could share the words that came to mind during our first experience at Waterman Village, I would say, ‘friendly, beautiful, togetherness, warmth,’” Marion said.

The sense of welcome and comfort that Irv and Marion felt while visiting Waterman Village was enough to seal the deal. They decided to deposit on their Lakeside residence (a Martin apartment home) right then and there.

Since reserving their residence in early 2020, Marion has noted how our CEO, Andrew Dujon, has kept all future Lakeside residents informed and connected as construction continues and as we all have navigated the challenges of the last year or so.

“We hadn’t seen that from a CEO before,” Marion said. “The way the place is run, as a not-for-profit community, they really put residents first and foster a special sense of camaraderie, even among people who don’t live there yet. That reinforced our choice.”

Getting ready for the Lakeside life

Marion explained that with spending more time at home in 2020, she and Irv have enjoyed getting a solid head start on their preparations to make the short move to Mount Dora.

They’ve been able to sell most of the items that they don’t want to bring with them to their brand-new home at Lakeside, and they’ve already packed away lots of smaller items such as Marion’s collection of elephant figurines—how cool!

The Getzes are also becoming a part of the Lakeside at Waterman Village community before they even move in by connecting with our team and their future neighbors through our special Facebook group and calendar of online and in-person events.

“We’ve had a few virtual cocktail hours with our future Lakeside neighbors, and have attended virtual presentations about all the construction details, which have been very helpful for getting updates and meeting new friends,” Marion said.

Plus, when it comes to making sure we serve up the fun for future residents, we don’t hesitate to go above and beyond.

“I love to play mahjong, and I’ve started playing online to play in real time with other people,” Marion explained. “So, Pamela [Simons, a member of the Lakeside team] put the word out to the activities director, who connected me with women who live at The Oaks, so now we can play mahjong together online! And I really look forward to playing with them in person when the time comes.”

In the meantime, Marion and Irv are excited—just like more than 100 other fellow future residents—for when it’s time to enjoy all that Lakeside at Waterman Village has to offer. And now that they’ve seized the opportunity and secured their future, Marion and Irv maintain a positive, proactive perspective:

“Some people see independent living as a time to slow down, and we just don’t see it that way. We see it as an opportunity to free us up to be more active in the ways we want, without the responsibilities of home,” they shared.

No matter where you live now, whether it’s within another retirement community in Florida or your longtime house, it’s easy to see why Lakeside at Waterman Village offers so much more. Just take the Getzes’ word for it!

To experience firsthand the warmth and welcome of this budding community, we encourage you to make an appointment at our Lakeside Information Center. Simply click here or call 352-305-1120 to get in touch. We look forward to meeting you!