It started 23 years ago when I met a man named Mr. Baird. I was a college student, working part-time serving dinner at the assisted living facility in Deland, FL, where Mr. Baird lived. He was about 88. He sat alone. He had no teeth. He never smiled. He was angry and unhappy and nothing seemed to please him. The food, the service, the staff, his fellow residents – nothing.
After Sue Jacobson’s father died, she and her mother, Dorothy, wanted his clothes to go to a good home where they would be appreciated. They thought of Pines of Sarasota, reasoning that men lived here and shopped in the Thrift Store. “We brought the clothes in to donate and, by the time we left, we were hooked!” said Sue.
My mother, Grace Givens, was an extraordinary woman. Not only did she raise two daughters on her own and send us to Catholic school, but she owned her own business and was able to buy a three-story brownstone where we lived until my sister and I married. She was 60 years old when she came to live with my husband and me, and eighty when we moved full-time to Sarasota.
When my nearly 99 years young Dad arrived from Connecticut he was excited that, after many years, he had finally made the decision to move to Sarasota to be close to my husband, Jim, and me. I had last seen Dad a few months earlier at a family wedding, and although looking rather thin, this vibrant man who still volunteered at a local hospital two days a week, was still dancing and enjoying life. However, upon his arrival, I noticed that he was confused and, I am sure, even a bit scared. Coming to a new place at this stage of life….well you can only imagine what apprehension he must have had.
Like so many others, Marilyn Shuman first discovered Pines of Sarasota when a loved one needed care. Marilyn’s husband Irving was in the hospital recovering from an injury sustained in a fall. He was ready to move to a rehab facility and it was up to Marilyn to determine where he would go. The hospital gave her a long list of options and wanted a quick answer. It was a daunting task. She was unfamiliar with most of the facilities on the list and was unsure about the few she recognized.
November 13, 2025
11:30 AM – 1:30 PM
The Ora | Sarasota
Join us for our joyful tradition that celebrates aging with grace, laughter and purpose. Have fun and be inspired by our amazing panelists – Graci McGillicuddy, Tom Koski, and Bob Aszotolos.