Mary Tindall: Mayflower Retirement Community hosts health fair

The Mayflower Retirement Community celebrated a commitment to well-being at its annual health fair on Oct. 10. Focused on preventive care, the event featured advice, assessments and information from medical professionals and vendors.

“Mayflower residents embrace prevention as a key to longevity,” Marketing Director Jana Ricci said. “So we make it as convenient as possible for them to get the tools to proactively manage their health.”

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, the fair offered residents and staff a chance to schedule “priority mammograms” at Winter Park Memorial Hospital. Residents also purchased flamingos for the front lawn as part of the city’s “Pink Out Winter Park” initiative, raising $500 to provide mammograms to women in need. Many residents contributed in honor of Elyse Baclar, who survived breast cancer and recently retired as The Mayflower’s fitness coordinator.

Launched soon after The Mayflower opened more than 20 years ago, the health fair continues to expand. “This year, we have 22 vendors, with offerings such as memory screenings, dietitian consultations, bone-density screenings, vascular health consultations, and balance and stability assessments. The Mayflower’s medical director, Dr. John Fleming, and his staff provided ‘brown bag’ medication review along with blood pressure and glucose tests,” said Community Services Director Betty Nelson, who spearheaded the event with help from Health Services Director Ann Cameron and Social Services Director Chris Rothenberger. “This was a true team effort!”

An ophthalmologist and representatives from the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine were among those sharing literature and scheduling appointments. Residents also consulted with University of Florida pharmacists to ensure that their prescription combinations were safe and effective, while Winter Park Police officers collected expired medications for environmentally friendly disposal.

“I had a memory test, had my balance checked, got my prescriptions reviewed, and consulted with the ophthalmologist about glaucoma – all in one place!” said Mayflower resident Carol Service. “Events like this help me feel more in control of my health, which is important at any age!”