The Mayflower Navigator Winter 2019

MAYFLOWER

THE CREATIVITY ISSUE State of the Art Music Lessons Recipe for Wellbeing Creativity in Bloom Flower Power A PUBLICATION OF THE MAYFLOWER RETIREMENT COMMUNITY WINTER 2019

STATE OF THE

ART Creativity, scientists say, plays an important role in healthy aging – and participating in artistic endeavors generates a sense of purpose and stimulates the mind.

In the Painting with Friends class, residents connect with their creativity – and each other.

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rom red pomegranates to vibrant Hopi and Navajo dancers, Dot Cline isn’t one to shy away from striking colors in her paintings. In fact, she’s always looking for something new. “Painting does that to you,” she says. “Just looking out the window here, you can see so many different shades of green. Most people aren’t aware of the colors in nature.”

For Dot, an award-winning artist pictured above, endless innovation is what painting is all about. “Learning is a major key to keeping your brain active,” she explains.

“Doing new things opens new passageways in the brain. You run up against new challenges and how to solve them.”

Research supports the notion that the creativity involved in painting is good for your brain. According to a study in the journal Gerontology, painting reinforces vital connections between neurons, including those for memory. It’s also been shown to increase happiness and reduce stress, which may boost your immune system.

“Expressing ourselves creatively can actually improve health, both mentally and physically,” says Dr. Gene Cohen, author of Welcome to the Creative Age. “Creativity is a natural, vibrant force throughout our lives, a catalyst for growth, excitement, and forging a meaningful legacy.”

After years of experimentation and practice, Dot is always thinking of her next project and continually trying to improve her craft. Her pieces are featured in many art shows and several spots around The Mayflower. She draws inspiration from her experiences traveling the world, the natural landscape, and her childhood growing up in Arizona.

A good tip for staying creative, she says, is to regularly attend workshops and art classes. “It’s so good to be with other people who are creative. They inspire you.”

Painting is more than just a hobby for Dot – it’s a passion. “When I sit down to paint, I just forget time,” she admits.

“Everything dissolves into my painting, and sometimes I’m late to dinner.”

A collection of Florida-inspired art adds culture and beauty to The Mayflower.

EXPAND YOUR “PALETTE”

“Creativity is by no means restricted to artists,” says painter and researcher B. T. Hannemann. “It is something all of us can draw upon to refresh, invigorate, heal, and connect.”

At The Mayflower, residents are discovering the delights of social painting at Painting with Friends, a weekly art class.

It’s about the experience, not the result, says art teacher Erin Curran: “My classes are specifically designed for people who aren’t artists and have no experience at all.

It’s pure fun and very social.”

Painting with a group can significantly increase happiness and mental health, according to a 2017 study. It also can

foster meaningful conversations and strong friendships. “Similar to music, art stimulates the deeper part of the brain that’s related to being creative, not being ‘correct,’” Erin says. “We’re telling stories as we’re painting. That’s my favorite part.”

ART IN RESIDENCE

Artistic involvement at The Mayflower is a reflection of the community’s culture.

“The residents themselves are such patrons of the arts,” says Jana Ricci, director of marketing, “and we’ve put all of that together on the walls of The Mayflower.”

It’s quite the collection. On display throughout the community is a wide

variety of media including glass, sculpture, painting, and even embroidery, much of which reflects the culture and natural beauty of Florida. Many pieces are from local artists and were purchased at the Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival, one of the oldest, largest, and best-known outdoor art festivals in the country. The Mayflower is one of the event’s sponsors.

The Mayflower’s ties to the festival not only help to foster artistry and culture in Winter Park, but they also have an added benefit for residents. “When we renovated our lobby, we wanted to bring the outside in,” says Jana. “It creates a special ambience, and people love it!”

A PATH TO GRATITUDE For Helen Tetenbaum, a trip down memory lane became a path to gratitude and appreciation.

Inspired by a creative writing class offered

by Rollins College, she set out to chronicle her personal history in a scrapbook format. “I was interested in telling the story of my heritage – my roots in Savannah, Georgia, my background, family, getting married, living in Orlando in 1948," she says. "From there, I found it was more than just a scrapbook – I wanted to make it a work of art.”

Recalling the quiet moments of her life has been an immersive experience for Helen. “Little stories come to mind, like my mother making fish dumplings on Fridays, or waking up as a child and hearing the chopping on the wooden board. Things like that, I hadn’t thought about, perhaps never even spoken about.”

“It definitely gives me a feeling of deeper love and appreciation of things I took for

granted when I had them,” she says. “When I show it to someone, I enjoy it all over again.

I labored with each page – what message I wanted to portray, to express, not just have pictures on a page.”

Scrapbooking is but one of Helen’s interests. In addition to a variety of art classes, cooking classes, and lifelong-learning courses offered by Rollins College, she’s also involved in intellectual groups like The Mayflower’s Think Tank. Recently, she wrote and presented a paper on the impact of global warming in Florida. “Keeping an active interest in things is both mentally and physically stimulating. It’s positive any way you look at it.”

Her advice on staying purposeful? “The motto I’ve borrowed – from Savannahian Johnny Mercer – is ‘accentuate the positive’. That’s what I’ve stood for in whatever I do.”

Helen Tetenbaum’s interest in scrapbooking has been a way to chronicle her past.

MUSIC LESSONS Whether you’re listening to it, singing it or playing it, music “gives soul to the universe,” as Plato put it. On a down-to-earth level, it also provides a symphony of health-related benefits and enhanced wellbeing that can last a lifetime.

Mary McKenzie, Bee Taylor, Anna Neville and Doris Barthelmess (left to right) enjoy learning new vocal techniques in The Mayflower’s voice class.

MEDICINE FOR YOUR MIND

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hen it comes to stimulating the brain, few things can compare to music. In fact, say experts at Johns Hopkins, music can be “medicine for your mind” – offering a symphony of benefits: improved memory, stress and anxiety relief; lower blood pressure; and improved sleep quality, mood, mental acuity, memory and immune function.

A 2017 scientific review in European Psychology backs up that theory, ranking music as the third best indicator of continuing cognitive health, after exercise and nutrition.

What’s the secret? Scientists point to the anatomy of the brain. Listening to

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and performing music can physically alter your gray matter. Just as learning a second language improves the density of your brain’s language processing area, studies show exposure to music increases the volume of your auditory cortex.

“Music is structural, mathematical and architectural,” says a Johns Hopkins otolaryngologist. “Your brain has to do a lot of computing to make sense of it.”

FINDING THEIR VOICE

Former math professor and pianist Beverly (Bee) Taylor gets the connection, noting that music and arithmetic give your brain a similar workout. “Research has shown that when preschool children

study music, they’re much better at math when they begin formal school,” she says. “Music is just great for the mind.”

Musical experience is also positively correlated with reading, listening, and memorization. Better yet, the mental skills most improved by music – memory, name recall, and executive functions – are those associated with mild cognitive impairment. A study in the journal Neuropsychology found that adults with high musical activity throughout life were more likely to retain normal cognitive functioning as they got older.

None of that surprises Bee, who has taken up singing and attends Voice Class at The Mayflower. Open to beginners and veterans alike, the class teaches techniques for enunciation, performance, and breathing, as well as tips for reading sheet music. “It’s music appreciation and choral education at the same time,” she says. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, but there’s always something new to learn. It’s very stimulating.”

Fellow class member Anna Neville, a soprano who is chairman of the Activities Committee at The Mayflower, has been singing for most of her life – from church choirs to her local women’s group … but she’s never had formal instruction. “This class is wonderful!” she says. “It has given me confidence to

open up and let the song flow out.”

A native of Iceland and a former teacher and preschool director, Anna adds: “Singing always makes me happy.

Maybe it’s something about breathing out the sounds. But, whether I’m singing or listening to music, it always enhances my life.”

IN PERFECT HARMONY

Some graduates from the Voice Class have joined more seasoned vocalists in the Mayflower Singers, the community’s active choir. Although members range in experience, they all share a love of music.

“There was a time we didn’t have television and radio was scarce. What we did at night was gather around the piano for sing-alongs,” recalls General John Raaen, a decorated D-Day veteran and celebrated historian, who sings bass.

In addition to his military service, General Raaen grew up singing with his family, in church choirs, in a barbershop group – even in the choir at West Point. Patriotism is a point of pride for the Mayflower Singers, who perform annually on Veterans Day, Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July with a repertoire of American favorites. “You name a patriotic song, we probably sing it,” he says, adding, “Singing is a joy to me, because it does bring back memories of growing up.”

Theresa Smith-Levin (seated) teaches techniques for singing in The Mayflower’s Voice Class.

STRIKING THE RIGHT CHORDS While music in general boasts numerous benefits, take note: Playing an instrument is like a full-body workout for your mind. It engages nearly every part of your brain and enriches connections between the creative and analytic sides – which, in turn, translates into a litany of benefits including greater creative problem-solving abilities and improved brain function, memory, speech processing, motor skills and overall mental health.

Psychologist and lifelong artist Carol White (pictured above) keeps her brain in shape by playing the ukulele – after taking her first lesson in a class at The Mayflower.

“The lessons were easy and fun,” she says. “I used to play piano and harp and took guitar lessons in college, but I was surprised how quickly I caught on. When I strum the uke, it sounds like a whole orchestra.”

Carol also expresses her creative side through oil painting, watercolors, and pottery. “I try a lot of things,” she admits. “It all folds together. One thing influences another.”

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“With every cookie I make, there’s a feeling of love for the family and friends who will enjoy them,” she says. “It feels good to know that I’m creating memories for the next generation.”

No question that Collyn is on to something. According to Donna Pincus, professor of psychological and brain sciences at Boston University, “Whether it’s painting, making music or baking, people get stress relief from having an outlet to express themselves creatively.”

Baking is also a form of mindfulness, because it requires your full attention.

From measuring to rolling out the dough, you have to focus on “being present” with what you’re making. That, combined with tastes and aromas, contributes to a sense of overall wellbeing – a feeling that is only enhanced when you cook or bake for others.

RELISHING NEW SKILLS

A RECIPE FOR

WELLBEING In the kitchen of her Mayflower villa, Collyn Slavens maintains a lifelong tradition of baking for others.

Research in the Journal of Positive Psychology found that participants who spent time cooking reported lower stress levels and said they felt happier, more motivated, and more satisfied. The primary reason?

Cooking allowed them to engage creatively – even artistically – in the kitchen.

SMART COOKIE

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or Collyn Slavens, inspiration comes from her heritage. “My family on my mother’s side were all creative,” she says. “My grandfather built furniture, my grandmother knitted and crocheted, and so did my mother.”

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One of Collyn’s many creative outlets – cooking and baking – was also handed down from one generation to another. Her family had a boarding house in Montana, and among her earliest memories is her grandmother baking pies for all the people who ate at their house.

Collyn’s paternal grandparents, who emigrated from Scotland, left an equally sweet legacy. “They always had a cup of tea and a scone waiting for you,” she says.

“Their shortbread recipe is a staple at Christmastime.”

It’s no wonder that baking and hospitality are inextricably linked in Collyn’s life. “I always have cookies in the freezer in case someone comes by,” she says.

She whips up everything from chocolatechip to lemon varieties, but she’s best known for seasonal treats, like the Easter cookies she’s made for over 50 years.

At The Mayflower, there’s no such thing as too many cooks in the kitchen. Or too many tantalizing recipes to try. Take pork dumplings, for example – a dish that Bee Taylor made for the first time ever during the community’s cooking classes.

“The dumpling class was something you just lose yourself in,” says Bee. “You have to concentrate on putting the filling in the wonton wrappers, then the wrappers in the crimper, and then setting out the dumplings so that they don’t stick. It’s a simple activity, but you have to focus.”

Group classes add a social element that makes the experience even more enjoyable for Bee. “While I was working and raising children, I never had time for hobbies like this,” she says. “Now, I’m relishing every opportunity to learn something new alongside my friends!”

Mindfulness is one of the byproducts of cooking and baking. “You don’t think about anything else except what you have to do,” says Bee Taylor, as she prepares pork dumplings.

CREATIVITY IN BLOOM NOURISHING MIND AND SPIRIT

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or retired elementary-school principal Mary Fedler, gardening is a creative outlet. “Beautiful, meditative spaces reduce tension,” she says. “We often get too focused on the practical aspect of life – making things faster and more efficient.

But you need to appreciate nature just as much as you need other life skills.”

As a child living in St. Paul, Minnesota, Mary remembers when her dad brought home bushel baskets of produce, and her mom canned vegetables and fruits. “We lived closer to the earth years ago,” she recalls. “We had to rely on each other and nature.”

Today, nature still plays a major role in Mary’s life. At the Mayflower villa she

shares with her husband Fred, there’s a huge back porch and deck for her flowerpot gardens. From that vantage point, she can look outside at the ducks, water, sky and trees. “This morning, I saw the red haze on the horizon, the morning stars, crescent moon, Venus and Mars,” she says.

“It was quiet and gloriously beautiful.

That’s what nature does; it is the essential communication.”

In addition to growing impatiens, Knock Out® roses, petunias and periwinkles, Mary tends The Mayflower’s community organic garden and enjoys creating salads from the broccoli, lettuce, carrots and radishes she harvests there. “You don’t have to think very much when you’re turning the earth, but it nourishes your mind and spirit,” she When she’s gardening, Mary Fedler communes says. “I’m just in awe of the miraculousness with nature. “My mother told me a flower is of living things.”

God’s smile. They’re miraculous.”

“Just living is not enough,” said the butterfly. “One must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.”

– Hans Christian Andersen, The Complete Fairy Tales

FLOWER POWER

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As The Mayflower’s resident florist, Alba Rolon puts her soul into creating stunning floral arrangements.

housekeeping supervisor who has worked at The Mayflower for 25 years, Alba Rolon has seen the community evolve over time – but one of its constants has been the handcrafted floral arrangements that decorate common areas. Fresh flowers have always been a signature Mayflower “special touch.”

As the community’s resident florist, Alba creates the arrangements herself each week, often singing as she arranges the stems. Her creations range from tabletop vases to a stunning bouquet in the lobby, measuring about 2 feet high.

“To me, this is more than a job,” she says. “I’m doing something special for the residents and the people who visit here.”

Working mostly with seasonal blooms, Alba often incorporates roses for a graceful look that she says fits with The Mayflower’s welcoming environment. “We bring a little piece of nature inside for residents to enjoy,” she says. “Flowers give you happiness and peace. They refresh your soul.”

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THE MAYFLOWER Winter Park’s Distinctive Retirement Community

1620 MAYFLOWER COURT | WINTER PARK, FL 32792

88141 PRAD FNL 3/2019

What’s new at The Mayflower?

Let’s just say the earth is moving. Literally.

Planning for Your Future?

SO ARE WE!

Secure today’s pricing for tomorrow’s lifestyle!

Early this year, we began site work on the next generation of our community. It’s going to be spectacular … and we want you to be a part of it. In fact, interest is already high, and we are beginning to take Priority Deposits. So, if you’re contemplating the next chapter of your life, now is the time to discover what The Mayflower has in store.

Why now?

You’ll be eligible for pre-construction pricing – the lowest it will ever be You’ll be among the first to choose locations, floor plans and views Your deposit is fully refundable And, you don’t get a second chance to be first There are lots of other senior-living communities – but there is only one Mayflower. Don’t miss the boat!

• • • •

CALL TODAY TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN PRE-BOARD:

407.672.1620