Residents of The Manor at York Town enjoy participating in a wide variety of community life activities. Whether they are partaking in friendly competition at Wii Bowling, attending intellectual TED talks, or maintaining their physical activity with socially distanced exercise classes, there are plentiful opportunities to enjoy a fulfilling retirement.

Community Life Manager at The Manor, Robyn Fine, finds great reward in developing relationships with residents and planning activities that suit their unique interests. “At The Manor, we are a small, close-knit community. So as a team, we can offer more personalized activities and community life programs,” she explains. Most recently, Robyn has enjoyed introducing residents to an entirely new language with her French class.

Robyn’s history with French…

“I have taught French class before at The Manor, but it has been a very long time. So, I decided to bring it back,” says Robyn. Robyn’s history with the French language dates back to her high school education. “I took five years of French in high school and I also spent a semester abroad in Brussels, Belgium where I lived with a French-speaking family,” she recalls. Additionally, Robyn has traveled to France a handful of times as she previously worked on a cruise ship that sailed around the world.

With years of experience speaking French, Robyn has been thrilled to introduce the language to residents at The Manor. Creating a syllabus for residents to stay on track, Robyn’s curriculum consists of learning numbers, the alphabet, and common phrases and expressions used in everyday conversations. Robyn also creates personalized worksheets so residents can practice the language outside of class.

As residents engage in French conversation, they expand their horizons by learning new concepts and reminisce in memories of the past.

Residents enjoy seeing their fellow classmates and instructor in the halls and always make sure to offer a French greeting. “When I see residents in the halls they greet me in French and we ask how one another is doing. It’s a lot of fun and helps them keep up with their practice,” says Robyn.

Robyn offers numerous activities each month, and French class so far has been a wonderful success. As she looks forward to advancing residents in this new language, she anticipates even more programs to expand their horizons. Residents can’t wait to see what Robyn comes up with next!