Wellington Bay, Offering the Best of Senior Living Options
By Krista Martinelli
I had the opportunity to chat with Barbara Kelley, Director of Sales and Marketing at Wellington Bay. This retirement community is just 3 years old and located right next to the Mall at Wellington Green. Wellington Bay is a very special place for seniors, brimming with activities.
AW: What sets Wellington Bay apart from other retirement communities?
BK: I feel that there’s so much that sets us apart. Top of mind, we are a high-end luxury community and we are a rental community. It’s not easy to find a rental community that’s high-end luxury. We offer many different outstanding amenities and different options of apartment homes in a campus style community. We not only have apartments in the Tower, which is connected to our clubhouse, but we also have the Garden Flats by the lake and we have villas, which feel more like you’re living in a house with a 2-car garage. It appeals to many people because everyone has their own thoughts on how they want to live. The leadership team here, almost all of them, have been here since the shovel went in the ground. They have a lot of pride in the community and a great connection with the residents, which makes it very special too. Jay Mikosch, our Executive Director, is a strong leader and sets a positive tone for the whole team. In my long career, it’s the first time I’ve seen this level of involvement in a leadership team, where they support the resident’s activities and are there to celebrate with them.
AW: Tell us about the different levels of care, the options.
BK: In addition to independent living, Lisbet is our freestanding assisted living and memory care building. There are 100 assisted living apartments, studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms. Our secure memory care neighborhood offers 24 furnished studio apartments. We have a wonderful team there with nursing 24/7. We have an ECC (Extended Congregate Care) license, which is over and above the standard assisted living license. The ECC license allows us to provide more comprehensive care beyond the basic services of a standard assisted living.
AW: Wellington Bay seems like a vibrant community. What activities are offered?
BK: There’s so much on the calendar every month. We go to places like the Morikami Museum, the Norton Museum, the Maltz Theater and the Kravis Center. We did a beach day recently, we did a courthouse tour in West Palm Beach, and we went to the symphony. In house at the community, we have musical entertainment several times a month. We have lectures with a men’s brunch bunch and a ladies’ lunch bunch with a guest speaker. We have 10 different resident-led clubs, including a technology club, a wine club, a pickleball club, a Yiddish club, a travel club and a few more. We also have committees that residents can participate in as well – the life enrichment committee, the culinary committee, etc. They meet with the leadership team to give their input, which is so important to us. Melissa Clark is our Wellness Director, who does over 20 different fitness classes every month,including cardio, strength training, balance, chair yoga, mat yoga, low-impact aerobics, water aerobics, etc. She also focuses on whole person wellness, offering a journaling workshop, a meditation group, a group called Thrive (which is life coaching for seniors), as well as having people who come in to lecture on cognitive well-being, nutrition and more. She is well loved by our residents.
We also provide complimentary membership to Wellington National Golf Club. We have an indoor pool, an outdoor pool, Bocce ball, pickleball, shuffleboard, a putting green and many other amenities.
AW: You have an impressive testimonials page. Do you want to highlight one of the best testimonials you have heard?
BK: I really love Carol Phillip’s story (see her video testimonial by going to the link below). After a tour of Wellington Bay, her husband Howie said, “I don’t need to keep my 23-year-old house anymore. We’re doing it!” The couple discovered a very active lifestyle at Wellington Bay. Howie’s become more active than ever before, with golf, Bocce ball and more. Carol says, “We cannot say enough and recommend it highly!”
See the Testimonials page.
AW: How are the dining options?
BK: We serve lunch & dinner. We give the residents $550 per person, which is included in their monthly fee toward dining. We have the Polo Room, our fine dining restaurant. We have Legends Lounge, which is casual dining with Happy Hour every day except Sunday (half price drinks and appetizers). We also have Chukker’s Café, open for lunch and brunch. The food is really fresh, it’s all farm to table, prepared here and locally sourced. This is important because there are other communities who have the food pre-made and brought in.
AW: When was Wellington Bay built? How many residences does it include? What is the overall concept?
BK: We just celebrated our 3-year anniversary in October. We have 159 independent living apartments, we have 100 assisted living apartments and 24 memory care apartments. Wellington Bay is a retirement community that blends elegance, comfort and vibrant living.
AW: What are some advantages of Wellington Bay’s location?
BK: It’s right next to The Mall, which a lot of people really appreciate. Also, it’s close to Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Wellington Regional Medical Center.
Also, Wellington is a very up and coming town. It’s definitely growing with nicer restaurants and cultural opportunities popping up. There’s also the equestrian appeal. We have residents who have been equestrians themselves or have children who are equestrians. So that’s a big attraction too.
AW: Can people take a tour? How do they set it up?
BK: Yes, anytime. Just give us a call (561) 335-5405, email us, go to the website and request a tour. We will get right back to you. We are happy to give a tour and share information about the community, also finding out what’s most important to you.
AW: Anything else?
BK: I think it’s a very special community and I’m happy to be here. I love working with the team, and I love how they are all passionate about what they do. They really give it their all and provide wonderful service. I also really enjoy the residents here. It’s such a beautiful community.
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Wellington Bay
Independent Living
10430 Stable Lane Wellington, FL 33414
561-408-0139
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Lisbet at Wellington Bay
Assisted Living, Memory Care, Respite Care
2550 Wellington Bay Dr, Wellington, FL 33414
561-408-0139