Windemere Annual Fund

About The Mayhews
Thanks to the Recreation Department at Windemere, Shirley and John Mayhew enjoyed a date at the 2011 Agricultural Fair. “I had never heard of Martha’s Vineyard before I met Johnny and came here,” Shirley recalls. “I’m amazed that I was lucky enough to land on this Island.” The Mayhews have been married for 64 years and have three children: Jack, Deborah and Sarah, and three adored grandchildren.

November 2011

Dear Friends,

My husband, John, now 90 years old, has been a resident at Windemere since June of 2008. We’d lived together for more than 60 years, so moving him into a nursing home was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I know it was the right decision. Thank goodness for Windemere.

About five years ago Johnny started falling and having fainting spells. Dr. Guiney, his cardiologist at the Hospital, said he needed a pacemaker and that helped. But he kept falling, and I’m afraid my family got to know the West Tisbury EMTs very well. As it became harder and harder for me to care for him at home, I finally called a family meeting with my kids and told them this was getting to be just too much for me.

My mother spent the last years of her life in a nursing home on the Cape. It took a whole day of travelling just to visit her. Having Johnny at Windemere is so different. The recreation department is amazing. They have special programs every morning and every afternoon. He loves the music programs and enjoys singing along. They’re always organizing outings. This year, the staff and volunteers made nine visits to the Agricultural Fair, so even residents in wheelchairs could enjoy the exhibits and the food on the midway. John and I were able to enjoy the fair together – it was really wonderful. And for me, it’s such a blessing to be able to drive only seven miles to see him.

Some of the nurses who care for John also cared for his mother, Helen Mayhew, who spent her last years at Windemere. And some of them are John’s students from when he taught math at the regional high school. It’s comforting to me, knowing Johnny is surrounded by people who know him and his family – people from his own community.

It took me a long time to get used to visiting my husband at Windemere but I’ve gotten to know some of the residents, and that helps. I try to visit Johnny three times a week. I know he enjoys it, and I am enjoying becoming a part of his little community.

I’m so grateful that we have Windemere to take care of my husband. The work of keeping our loved ones close to home and keeping our community together is vitally important. I hope you will be as generous as you can this year, so that Windemere is here for all those who need it now or in the future.

Sincerely

Shirley Mayhew

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