Tell us a little bit about your business. – For the past 30 years, Legacy Retirement Communities (LegacyRetirement.com) has been home to amazing people who have gone through many walks of life. We have four different communities that serve Lincoln (Legacy on 56th, Legacy Terrace and Legacy Arbors Memory Care on 57th and Legacy Estates on 72nd) and multiple living styles within our communities that empower seniors to live how they desire.
How did you get started in the business? – When I was 16 years old, my mother told me to go and get a job. The Legacy on 56th and Pioneers was three blocks away from where we lived, so I wondered if they would have a job for me. I got hired as a server in the dining room and immediately fell in love with the community and the people I was fortunate to serve. I was hooked and knew I wanted to work with seniors. I have worked in many departments within The Legacy Retirement Communities, but primarily as a Retirement Living Advisor at Legacy Terrace. My next adventure in our company is as the Executive Director at Legacy Arbors, our memory care community. I am really looking forward to learning and leading at Legacy Arbors. They have a fantastic team focusing their caring hearts on people struggling with memory loss and their families.
Who inspires you? – The people that live within Legacy Retirement Communities are who inspire me the most. I have been blessed to learn about their lives and the joys and struggles they have been through. They have taught me valuable life lessons. The lesson I appreciate most is that life is precious and a gift. No matter how old we are, we never stop seeking purpose and our dreams.
What is your greatest talent that you don’t utilize in your daily work life? – I am an artist, and in my free time, I love to create. I studied art in college at the University of Nebraska. I enjoy painting and drawing. I usually paint abstractly, and my subjects are usually of women and fashion. Lately, I have been intrigued by oil pastels and having fun with this messy medium. Gloves are a necessity! I try to treat each piece as a study, so I don’t take myself too seriously and enjoy the calmness of making art.
What is your favorite movie? – My favorite movie of all time is The ‘Burbs (1989). It is the silliest comedy movie about a neighborhood obsessed with their creepy neighbors who they know are up to no good. This movie is one I can watch over and over and never tire of it. Tom Hanks stars in it along with Carrie Fisher, Bruce Dern, Rick Docummun, and Corey Feldman; what a cast! One of the biggest reasons I love this movie is because every summer, I would visit my grandparents’ house in Alma, Nebraska, to swim, and my sister and I watched it every time we went there. The movie is a good reminder of this fun family tradition from my childhood.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? – The best piece of advice I have ever received is that I can control how I perceive life. Each day, we get to wake up and be a part of something beautiful. Beauty can be in the ease of life and the hard things that challenge us. Life is short, and I want to enjoy as much of it as I can with the people that I love!
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – Please contact me at Legacy Arbors for support or guidance on memory loss. We are here to be a good resource to the community of Lincoln. Our phone number is (402) 466-3777. My email is Jocelyn.fitzgerald@legacyretirement.com, and our company website is (LegacyRetirement.com).