At Magnolia at Highland Senior Apartments in San Bernardino, CA, our Program Director’s daughter, Lauren, started teaching private piano lessons in September. Lauren is 18 and a music performance major at Cal State Long Beach. She currently has 6 students who each get a 30 minute lesson once a week. We’re especially excited to have her on board because her lessons are a great example of inter-generational programming. Here’s part of her first monthly report:
These piano lessons are structured to teach students not only how to play piano, but also some basic music theory and understanding of how music and the piano work, as well as practice and performance skills. Overall, the lessons are primarily for the residents’ enjoyment, and to give them opportunities to learn new things and acquire new skills.
Participants were very happy with the first month of lessons. All shared mutual excitement regarding what they were learning, and they expressed that they felt they were learning a lot of valuable information. One resident shared that some of the hand stretches and exercises she learned in her piano lessons were later praised by her physical therapist, so she felt that the piano lessons were very helpful to her.
Piano lessons clearly have a positive impact on the participants. It is very fulfilling for the participants as they accomplish more and more improvements during each lesson.
~ Alma Wright, Program Director
EngAGE connects across generations, helping older adults become involved with younger people in their communities as mentors, sages, and neighbors.
EngAGE also recognizes and appreciates younger people who take the time to share their special knowledge with our older adults! Well done, Lauren.
