EngAGE changes lives by transforming affordable senior and multigenerational apartment communities into vibrant centers of learning, wellness, and creativity.
Home Forward and EngAGE joined together to bring storytelling classes to the Unthank Plaza and Rosenbaum Plaza affordable housing communities in Portland, OR, in 2018. At a special culminating event performance, we celebrated the participants with a live radio hour dedicated to hearing their stories and educating Portland about the power of artistic opportunity. Soon after, we broadcast the show in two parts on Experience Talks on 90.7 KPFK-FM. The video below presents the entire “PDX All Ages Radio Hour.”
SPECIAL THANKS TO: Storytellers in the class – Gren Israel La Bleu, Ruby Mercier, Kimberly Lewis, Benjamin Matthews, Joyce Morrow, and Mary Whetsel Will Hornyak, Instructor and Storyteller Extraordinaire Tyler Stenson, singer/songwriter Multnomah Arts Center Friendly House, especially Vaune Albanese, Executive Director; Mya Chamberlin, Assistant Director; Denise LaFond, Co-Director of Community Services Home Forward and their communities, Rosenbaum Plaza and Unthank Plaza EngAGE Northwest Board of Directors EngAGE Staff: Nancy Goodhart, COO; Consultants Dan Steffey, Jana Cole, and Stan Sawicki Sound Recording: Roy Payne & crew Promotion: Samantha Hanlin
Thanks to EngAGE Websites & Social Media Manager Cynthia Friedlob for #MakingADifference and sharing this personal story. Cynthia has been with EngAGE since 2007 when she began providing commentaries to Experience Talks, our public radio show formerly on KPFK-FM, Los Angeles, and other Pacifica Network stations. She enjoys keeping EngAGE in the public eye by sharing information about EngAGE programming and photos of participating residents at our communities. She also shares inspiring news stories and information of general interest to older people.
Cynthia noticed that many news stories promoting “positive aging” were about extraordinary people doing extraordinary things, usually involving exceptional physical prowess and often an element of risk. These definitely were not the stories of the everyday people who are aging positively in our EngAGE communities! This prompted her to write a 2021 blog post advocating skipping the bucket list of extreme adventures and appreciating the joys of the creative, smaller life close to home.
A version of this blog post was subsequently published by NextAvenue. Cynthia followed up with an “interactive journal” in which she shared memories of her smaller life growing up and mused about the creative activities that make it satisfying for her today.
In Praise of the Smaller Life
You’ve seen the articles. At age 73, South African heart surgeon Otto Thaning became the oldest man to swim the English Channel. At age 80, Japanese mountaineer Yuichiro Miura became the oldest person to climb Mt. Everest. And just last month, aviation pioneer Wally Funk, 80 years old, became the oldest woman to fly in space.
These are extraordinary achievements by extraordinary people. They also fit the popular cultural narrative: no matter how old you are, you’re not really living unless you stretch yourself to your limits. We live in a society obsessed by doing more, doing it faster, doing it to the fullest. Lean in, push the envelope, step outside your comfort zone. Go big or go home.
This kind of thinking usually leads to the creation of a bucket list made up of all things exciting and exotic. I have two friends who spent a month rafting 540 miles of the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia, then being handlers on the grueling, 1,000 mile Yukon Quest in Alaska. One of them did this to celebrate his 70th birthday.
Well, no, thanks. Not every life well-lived requires such extremes.
For some of us, like me, a smaller life is perfectly fine. All it requires is finding the things that bring you joy and cultivating opportunities to do them regularly. For example, I have an interest in genealogy, and it brings me great joy when I learn something new about my family history. I can get lost online for ages searching for information, and I value every discovery I make.
The smaller life is focused closer to home. I once had a conversation with a well-traveled colleague who pronounced with great certainty that the only way to understand the world was to travel. He was shocked when I disagreed. Not everyone enjoys travel, not everyone can afford it, and it is physically impossible for some. I happen to think that author Jon Winokur got it right when he pointed out that the root for the word “travel” is the same as that for “travail.” I look forward to the invention of the Star Trek transporter so that I can be plunked down in new places without having to endure the process of getting there.
For those who have wanderlust and the ability to fund it, I’m happy to say bon voyage. But some of us are content to be armchair nomads, learning about the world through reading; watching documentaries, foreign television shows and films; and visiting museums and historic locations online.
Those of us fortunate to live in the Los Angeles area can enjoy a taste of other cultures in nearby neighborhoods. You don’t have to go to Japan to celebrate the Cherry Blossom Festival, or to Mexico for Dia de los Muertos, or to China for the Chinese New Year. The experience isn’t the same as being in a foreign country, of course, but it can be satisfying and informative, especially if you talk to some of the locals.
The smaller life doesn’t mean that you have no goals, or you don’t challenge yourself to learn something new. It means that you have an open mind and set your goals realistically, taking on challenges that are manageable for your circumstances. In our EngAGE communities, I see residents who bravely try making art for the first time in their lives, writing a story or poem, singing with a chorus, learning another language, or exercising to regain strength. I understand and appreciate how significant those efforts and achievements are.
My smaller life may not include climbing Machu Picchu, but there’s a beautiful park where I can take a walk that tests my endurance. I won’t be immersing myself in a language learning program in Mexico, but my high school Spanish is getting a workout from a program online. And I don’t need to leave home to have my brain challenged by technology almost daily on my job!
Sometimes the smaller life is imposed upon us. The pandemic made just about everyone rethink venturing out. For many people, including EngAGE community residents, Zoom has provided a valuable connection to others, and an opportunity to learn and discover new interests. Fortunately, the Internet allows a physically limited existence to expand as far as the mind wants to go.
The smaller life is not a lesser life. It can be adventurous in its own way and quite a lot of fun! Most importantly, it can have purpose and meaning. The scaled-down triumphs of the smaller life are no less sweet than the dramatic ones that make the headlines.
It’s not necessary to “go big or go home.” It’s fine to stay small and stay home, enjoying a smaller life.
Slow down, you move too fast, You got to make the morning last, Just kicking down the cobblestones, Looking for fun and feelin’ groovy. – “The 59th Street Bridge Song” by Paul Simon
In 2016, EngAGE launched programming in Oregon. Our first community, Cascadian Terrace Apartments in Portland, which we continue to serve, is a 103-unit subsidized property providing affordable housing for very low-income residents. This was the first collaboration of EngAGE with Community Development Partners, the owners of Cascadian Terrace and other Portland properties. Residents enjoy an array of EngAGE programming, including art, writing, and gardening.
Our most recent arts colony, ACE/121, located in Glendale, CA, broke ground in 2015. It was designed for families of working artists and built in conjunction with a $5.5-million YMCA of Glendale makeover. The LEED Silver-certified colony celebrated its official opening in 2017. The mixed-use community was developed by Meta Housing Corp. and Designed by Studio One Eleven. It features homes for artists, artist studios, a kiln, classroom space, a computer lab, music rooms, and a ground-floor public art gallery, now managed by Glendale Arts Association.
In 2022, the ace/121 Gallery hosted an event with the Glendale YMCA and the city Department of Library, Arts and Culture to celebrate the “unveiling” of Glendale’s first-ever city-commissioned mural. It was painted by professional artist Ayumi Chisolm (SANOizm), a resident of ACE/121, after a years-long process of bringing the city its first mural, a project initiated by former ACE/121 Program Director Ben Evans.
How does EngAGE change aging? Here’s an example: our Arts & Creativity program goes beyond providing classes and exhibition opportunities in the visual arts; it also includes music and dance.
In 2018, EngAGE brought a dance/drumming workshop to Long Beach Senior Arts Colony. Thanks to a generous grant from The NAMM Foundation and our partnerships with Maha & Company and Percussion of Discussion, a ten-week workshop gave our residents a weekly opportunity to meet with the young dancers and percussionists. You can see their enthusiasm in the video below.
The culminating event held in the theater at LBSAC was standing-room only. The audience was enraptured as our residents shared the stage alongside the young performers. The finale had them dancing, drumming, singing, and smiling as everyone got in the spirit to Move & Groove!
Maha shared her thoughts on this experience: “I cannot even describe how incredible the outcomes were. The concert was above and beyond what the expectations were for the individuals and for the whole group. Other than what the performances represented, it was the positive reactions of the seniors who performed and the audience’s wonderful remarks that confirmed the positive outcomes.”
Heartwarming comments from the senior performers included:
“This was amazing.” “I never thought I could do this.” “This helped me get out of my shell.” “I am so sad this is over.” “When can we do this again?”
Once again, EngAGE sincerely thanks The NAMM Foundation for this opportunity, and we applaud our residents for their willingness to try something new.
We hope you’ll enjoy these highlights from recent programming at our communities in California and Oregon.
EngAGE 25th Anniversary Celebrations
We are encouraging residents at all of our communities to choose how they’d like to acknowledge this special milestone.
Patton Home: A community-wide barbecue was the choice at Patton Home. Program Director Pauline organized the event. Residents shared stories and enjoyed each other’s company. There was even a rousing cheer of “thank you” when we cut the cake!
Magnolia@9th: Residents decided to go bowling! This unique event included family, friends, and Program Director Jessica. WSH Management provided pizza to the group before they departed, and EngAGE booked three lanes – including snacks. Residents shared that it was a lot of fun to go out together and do something away from home.
Arts & Creativity
Piedmont: The Piedmont music group meets every Monday under the direction of Program Director Arnold. The first Chair Volleyball Tournament of 2024 against Burbank Senior Artists Colony gave the Piedmont house band an opportunity to perform at BSAC before the games began. The group delivered an energetic and meticulously choreographed musical piece, featuring the Piedmont Kazoo horn section. The audience loved it!
LBSAC: Resident Artists have been having a great time in the ceramics classes this summer. Working Artist/Instructor Melodie inspires them to stretch their skills and creativity with the medium. We look forward to seeing what they share in the upcoming LBSAC Fall Art Exhibition.
Community Building
Metro@Compton: Residents gathered in the community room and outdoor courtyard for the annual Aloha Summer Cookout. EngAGE Program Director Sandra got on the grill and cooked burgers and hotdogs. DJ Distance provided music and there were raffles. Special guests were Nancy Goodhart and former fitness instructor David Smith.
Tizon: Staying with the tropical theme, residents were treated to a community-wide luau provided by property management company CONAM and EngAGE. CONAM catered the luau with a delicious barbecue. Residents enjoyed games like Pin the Nose on the Tiki Man and a scavenger hunt. EngAGE provided fruit and vegetable trays and prizes for the games.
Culminating Events
Metro H’wd: A potluck for residents preceded an exhibition in the community art room of work by participants in both the drawing and the painting classes. Program Director Michelle and Drawing Teacher Nelson facilitated a discussion with the artists about what they learned and found interesting during the program year. One resident exclaimed, “Wow, WE did ALL these this year?!” Most of the residents had not taken any art classes before participating in EngAGE’s programs. Several family members shared the fun.
Magnolia@Highland: Crafting with Teaching Artist Alma often means exploring creativity in unexpected areas. In February, the resident artists started a new project: making fascinator hats! However, the project was so exciting that it quickly inspired them to want to learn how to make other hat styles, too, including a cowboy hat, a cap, a fedora, and more. Over several months, the crafters worked on their hats and decided to celebrate their completion with an Oscar Party! At the end of the celebration, the guests voted for the best hat, and the top four were awarded a mini-Oscar and a gift card. Resident Gail won first prize with her Jessica Rabbit outfit! In the email you’ll receive summarizing this presentation, we’ll include a link to our blog post that has many photos of the entire process.
Fitness & Wellness
Piedmont: Residents enjoy their weekly exercise class with Instructor Jack. The full-body workout wraps up with a health and wellness discussion on a specific educational topic. The program helps the residents stay fit and focused.
Piedmont: We know that mental health is as important as physical health, so Georgina, from Independence At Home, a community educational service provided by SCAN, presented “Calming Your Worried Mind – Understanding Anxiety and Reducing Stress.” She talked about different types of anxieties, their causes, and ways to deal with constant worrying. The residents found the talk very helpful.
Intergenerational
Broadleaf Arbor: Resident Lisa Hunter was the guest cook for the cooking classes in June. She taught the kids how to make her son’s favorite English muffin pizzas and Chicken Little sandwiches. The kids asked to learn how to make chocolate-covered strawberries, and Lisa made it happen.
Terrace Glen: Residents enjoy a weekly Art Hub class with Program Director Laura. This intergenerational group includes residents of all ages and their older adult friends. The older adults are often inspired by the freedom of expression they see in the kids’ approach to creating and appreciate the joy to be found in art without boundaries. They also enjoy sharing their life experiences with the kids as well as learning about the kids‘ interests.
Lifelong Learning
Crescent Park: In June, we kicked off a new 6-week session of cooking classes with 18 Reasons Cooking Matters. Residents learn nutrition, cooking skills, and recipes. We make a collaborative meal to eat for lunch, then participants receive bags of groceries with printed-out recipes to take home. Pictured here are residents during our first session.
Huntington: Thanks to a grant from the California Public Utilities Commission, EngAGE offers residents tech training on tablet understanding and proficiency. The purpose of this program is to help older adults stay connected through technology. Residents can keep the tablets if they complete the workshop curriculum. This streamlined course is facilitated by trained and certified instructor Miles Morse. The Huntington residents all passed the course and were thrilled to be able to keep their tablets.
Resident-led
Piedmont: Piedmont resident Tom Jenkins has written and directed many movies and commercials. Recently, the community was treated to a special talk and screening of his film, “Bed & Breakfast.” Tom shared entertaining stories about the making of the movie, including the fact that the shooting was completed the day before the big Covid shutdown. The movie was very well received by the attendees, and Tom said that he had a great time experiencing the reactions from the audience of neighbors and friends.
Portofino: Twice a month, residents congregate, share funny stories, and make a variety of beautiful baubles for themselves, friends, and family. This resident-led jewelry class was started by Sam (at right), a retired jeweler, who wanted to share her gift and talents with her community. The group has discussed having a fashion show or maybe a tea party this fall to show off their handiwork!
Food Partners
We are grateful for our valuable partnerships with the organizations that provide supplementary food to our residents:
CA
Helping Hands Worldwide
Second Harvest
OC Food Bank
San Diego Food Bank
Food Connection
Brother Benos
Panera
Bracken’s Kitchen
Lighthouse Mobile Food Pantry
Love Does
Mercy Brown Bag Program
NW
Mainspring Community Food Pantry
Columbia Pacific Food Bank
Testimonial
Henry: Sometimes very special connections are made between our team and the residents we serve. Program Director Henry shared this story at the conclusion of our service at one community:
It was a bittersweet Painting Class session this August at El Verano; it was our final meet-up. The students wrapped up their painting projects, having accomplished so much along the way. They discovered the joys of painting, the value of patience, and, most importantly, they developed self-confidence and learned to trust their creative talents and skills. The outcomes were fantastic for all of us. I encouraged the artists to keep it up and stay EngAGEd!
After class, I helped Chris get his painting shipped to his family. A few days later he left me a kind message thanking me for all my extra help with his paintings over the years and encouraging him to persist. He asked if we could remain in touch and be friends, to which I responded, “Yes, of course. We need to celebrate your B-day…Your Friend, Henry!”
Story
This is a first for EngAGE! Program Director Sandra reports:
During our summertime barbecue, Bong, one of the residents of The Jasmine, was enjoying the event while walking by the swimming pool. Suddenly, she started to lose her balance. After flailing for a moment, she fell in! Although she is a tiny woman, I thought she’d just stand up because she was in the shallow end. But I also knew she couldn’t swim.
She was bobbing up, then repeatedly going back under, and she was panicking. I jumped in, fully clothed, including shoes, holding my phone and keys, and I pulled her above water.
I carried her over to the steps and told her to touch bottom. She did.
She had a large purse on and sputtered that the weight of it pulled her into the pool when she lost her balance.
The stunned celebrants were sitting with their mouths open. The music had stopped. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Bong was okay!
A bit of extra excitement for the party! [An understatement by Sandra, who truly saved the day!]
Support Us
If you’d like to support our efforts to provide valuable programming in the arts, wellness, lifelong learning, and community-building to the older adults and families we serve, please visit the Donation pageon our website. Thank you for your interest in EngAGE!
Thanks to EngAGE Program Director Henry for #MakingADifference and sharing this story. about the conclusion of our service at one community:
It was a bittersweet Painting Class session this August at El Verano; it was our final meet-up. The students wrapped-up their painting projects, having accomplished so much along the way. They discovered the joys of painting, the value of patience, and, most importantly, they developed self-confidence and learned to trust heir own creative talents and skills. The outcomes were fantastic for all of us. I encouraged the artists to keep it up and stay EngAGEd!
After class, I helped Chris get his painting shipped to his family. A few days later he left me a kind message thanking me for all my extra help with his paintings over the years and encouraging him to persist. He asked if we could remain in touch and be friends, to which I responded, “Yes, of course. We need to celebrate your B-day…Your Friend, Henry!”
