Some of Broadway’s biggest child stars — Corey J from The Lion King and MJ: The Musical, Benjamin Pajak from “The Music Man,” “Oliver!,” and “Golden Rainbow,” Aria Kane from “Frozen Broadway,” and Jillian Platero from “The Lion King” — recently performed for residents of Inspīr Carnegie Hill in Manhattan.

Many of the residents’ grandkids and great-grandkids enjoyed the performances as well.

Inspīr has hosted numerous performers from the Great White Way — including Alex Edelman, Jeffrey Seller, Manny Azenberg, Lisa Howard, Michael Winther, Julie Benko,  Talia Suskauer, Ari Axelrod, Natalie Joy Johnson, Timothy Hughes and more — but this was the first time the community heard from some of Broadway’s youngest performers, who shared with residents their experiences growing up in the limelight.

Evan Rossi, senior director of resident experience, has forged connections to the theater world to make the performances possible. Sometimes, performers even initiate the request to perform at Inspīr.

Inspīr Carnegie Hill was developed by Maplewood Senior Living in partnership with Omega Healthcare Investors.

See the In Focus archive, and find out how to submit your photos and information for consideration, here.

As a former church choir director as well as a multi-instrumentalist, Good Samaritan Society–Prairie Creek resident Lois Nicholas was looking for an outlet for her talents as well as some friends to play music with. Fortunately, she did not need to blow on a magic conch shell to summon a musical superteam.

She found nine other residents at the Sioux Falls, SD, senior living community who are musicians and today, they play concerts for everyone on campus. 

“It just feels good, making music speaks to the soul,” Nicholas said. “Seniors are really receptive, and they are not critical, so they are a wonderful audience.”

Over the holidays, Nicholas and her group performed Christmas music for assisted living and memory care residents on campus. The bells they used were not traditional church bells but rather toy versions with a different pitch. GSS-Prairie Creek senior living administrator Alecia O’Neil said that the concerts were easy to facilitate and demonstrate how the community encourages self-expression and lifelong learning. 

“I think that the philosophy of retirement is that you never stop learning, and I think we’ve really embraced that on this campus and try to present opportunities for people to try new things,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of very talented, highly educated people who live with us from all walks of life, and I know I personally gain so much by learning from them and having them share their experiences with us as staff or with each other.”

Nicholas was not expecting much from the tour but was pleasantly surprised with its reception.

“I didn’t think it would be as well-received as it was, but many of them did a lot of singing,” Nicholas said. “We’ll probably take a couple months off and then start preparing for another concert.”

See the In Focus archive, and find out how to submit your photos and information for consideration, here.

Ten years ago, he was liberated from a South Carolina puppy mill. Today, Roodle the Labradoodle roams the halls of The Barclay at SouthPark, greeted by smiling faces, affectionate embraces and of course, a few treats.  

“Residents and staff fell in love with him so quickly; he became everyone’s dog. He continues to come with me, even though I no longer need to bring him,” said the dog’s owner, Blake Leggett, a sales associate at the Liberty Senior Living retirement community in Charlotte, SC. “People will come to my office to see him. They’ll be petting him and then look over at me, almost as a PS, and say, ‘Oh, hey Blake.’ And that is totally fine with me. I tell people he’s cuter and sweeter than I am and has better hair.”

When Leggett was selling her home about a year ago, she would bring Roodle to work so he was out of the way during home showings. Once the residents got to know him, it was clear that Roodle would not be leaving the retirement community anytime soon. New friends can be difficult to come by, especially those with fur and four legs. Leggett is convinced that Roodle is a uniquely special friend to residents.

“I know everyone says their pets are the best, but I do think I am looking at Roodle and this situation objectively,” Leggett said. “I continue to see examples of him touching people in really special ways.” 

Roodle plays an important role at The Barclay at SouthPark, reminding residents and staff members of fond memories with their own pets as well as providing comfort to those experiencing bad days. Leggett makes sure to arrive early and leave later, to ensure that Roodle has enough visitation time. He’s a long way from the puppy mill but close to the hearts of many in his new stomping grounds.

“People see him and want to visit and love on him,” Leggett said. “I can’t explain exactly what it is, but he seems to have created a unique and special bond.”

See the In Focus archive, and find out how to submit your photos and information for consideration, here.

Christmas came early for Ridgeland High School in Rossville, GA, when Morning Pointe at Happy Valley opened its doors for the first time. During a celebration complete with a holiday theme and school marching band performance, the senior living community announced a donation of $10,000 to upgrade the school’s lobby. 

“This is a special token of our appreciation and our investment in this community,” Morning Pointe co-founder and President Greg A. Vital said. “This is for generations to come, just as the commitment of education is for generations to come.”

The event was packed with a crowd of approximately 300 people, including residents, employees, community leaders and supporters.

The Happy Valley farm and estate, on which the senior living community is located, was established in 1935 by John L. Hutcheson Jr. and was the site of an award-winning Jersey cattle and dairy farm and later a world-class American Saddlebred horse-breeding facility. Now the grounds will be roamed by Morning Pointe’s residents, who started moving in Nov. 24. 

“When I first visited parts of this farm, I knew that there was a vision for something special here,” Vital said during the program. “We have accomplished that in many ways, and this is an opportunity for North Georgia and Walker County to be part of that, because Morning Pointe couldn’t be here unless there was a need. We are creating a new story today.”

Although the senior living community is eager to play a role in the community, citizens are just as eager to welcome their new neighbors. Another Christmas gift that keeps on giving. 

“The Walker/Catoosa Countians appreciate the partnership [with Morning Pointe] that’s already being formed with us, your love for our community and the involvement that you are showing,” Walker County Chamber of Commerce president Jennifer Marti saidn. “You truly do want to be a part of who we are. Everything that you have thought of, you have considered our residents who have lived here from birth. I appreciate the detail that you have put into what you have created.”

See the In Focus archive, and find out how to submit your photos and information for consideration, here.

During the holidays, it is easy to take the little things for granted. A simple holiday gift might not be in the cards for some, but residents at Highline Place, an Anthem Memory Care community in Littleton, CO, worked to change that situation by packaging shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child.

Being a former Operation Christmas Child recipient as a military child, Highline Place Life Engagement Director Annalise Wasberg is especially familiar with the program’s impact and sees it as a way to “pay it forward.” 

“No matter where we’re at in life, I think it’s important to give back in any way we can,” Wasberg said. “We have a lot of volunteers that love to just come in and sit with our residents that need that attention. We have so many residents that need that help, so it’s important to give back any way we can, because we have those resources and the capability to do that.”

The residents packed 15 shoeboxes full of toys and other basic essentials and delivered the boxes to South Suburban Church. The supplies included stuffed animals, puzzles, books, coloring supplies and much more. Since 1993, more than 209 million children in more than 170 countries have received an Operation Christmas Child shoebox. According to Wasberg, because of recent COVID-19 surges in the community, the initiative was a way for residents to interact with younger generations from a safe distance. 

“We haven’t been able to have a lot of our intergenerational stuff the past month, so it’s good to still be able to do something and bring that light to their face,” Wasberg said. “I don’t know what it is, but kids just do so much for our senior living residents. Some of our lower-functioning residents have baby clothes that we will give them, and they’ll just hold baby clothes all day because it just lights them up.” 

They will be making some children very happy over the holidays, but the residents received a nice gift of their own: a chance to make a difference in their own community without having to leave it.

“It’s important for even memory care residents to have that feeling of purpose and to give back during the holidays,” Wasberg said. “Even if we just collect one box or make one box, at least we made one child smile. Some of our residents have worked with kids in the past as teachers and educators, so they really just understood the assignment.”

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During the holiday season, we expect most of the gifts we receive to come off a shelf. But at Western States Lodging Management, the gifts often come off the cuff. As part of their 10 x 30 Kindness challenge, 5,000 associates across five states were invited to complete 10 daily acts of kindness throughout a month-long period beginning on World Kindness Day, Nov. 13 and ending on December 13. While an act of kindness can be small, Chief Revenue Officer and spokeswoman Jennifer Knecht believes it can have an outsized impact.

“When you look at the statistics, the Surgeon General and the CDC both have declared loneliness as an epidemic in this country, and especially during COVID all of us in senior living fully understand what COVID-19 did to our residents,” Knecht said. “The next best step for us is to start to combat some of the loneliness that we know that folks feel, especially during the holidays. We’ve all taken the charge as associates, we’re nearly 5,000 strong. If we perform just 10 acts of kindness a day, we impact 1.5 million acts of kindness in 30 days. That’s a big ripple.”

But it is not only the associates who are participating in the challenge, residents have been inspired to be part of the fun. And those good deeds are not restricted to their senior living communities, but the greater community as a whole. 

“Our residents have gotten super involved in it as well. They’ve taken upon themselves to think about ways in which they can engage with the greater community,” Knecht said. “We had one of our senior living campuses where the residents there are doing a food drive for a local homeless shelter. We started with our associates being the ones challenged and they shared what they were doing and the residents kind of took it and ran with it.”

As the campaign approaches its final week, spirits remain high and there has been no shortage of good deeds. While it is nice to receive a gift, sometimes the best present is the feeling you get when you give to others. 

“If you knock on somebody’s door who wasn’t expecting you just to drop by and say hi, that can really make their day,” Knecht said. “If you pick up your phone, you can go through your list of contacts and just reach out to somebody that you haven’t reached out to in a long time just to say hi. Think about what kind of feeling that creates for you.” 

The holidays are a joyous time for many, but they can be a challenge for others. That’s why the “Knit Wits” of Edgemere in Dallas are providing some Texas-sized love through their handmade child-sized hats.

The knitting group makes 30 baby caps, which are delivered to infants with heart conditions in the heart center at Children’s Health in Dallas, every three months. The initiative was the idea of Edgemere resident Mary Ann Stover, who was introduced to Betsy Beall, a certified child life specialist at the hospital, through her cardiologist daughter a year and a half ago. 

“Mary Ann reached out to me about the possibility of the Knit Wits knitting hats for our infant population in the heart center,” Beall said. “We spoke about the vision for this initiative and how we would utilize the hats across the heart center.”

The Knit Wits decided that the color for their hats would be based on the season: autumn, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Fourth of July, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, spring, etc. Not only do they bring a splash of color to the hospital wing; they also provide a sense of calm for the tiny little patients.

“The hats provide an additional way for our infants and caregivers to bond and bring a sense of normalcy to an otherwise clinical environment,” Beall said. “Caregivers are able to wear the hat on their body to transfer their scent before placing the hat back on the baby, encouraging bonding and easing the infant’s stress.”

Since the groups began collaborating, Beall noted, the relationship has provided an “overwhelmingly positive impact” on the wing’s patients and caregivers. She cites one particular example of when an infant was admitted for almost a year. Whenever the baby’s family would celebrate a holiday with the little one, an accompanying hat always was there to spark a little joy. 

“At times, this infant was too critical to be dressed up for holiday photos the family had planned. Thanks to the generosity of the Knit Wits, our team was able to provide the family with an appropriately themed infant hat the family could use for their photos and holiday celebrations,” Beall said. “I have loved working with Mary Ann and the Knit Wits and seeing the joy and comfort their initiative has brought to our patients and families.”

​​Click here to see the In Focus archive and read how to submit photos of activities at your community for consideration of publication.

With the popularity of ABC’s new “The Golden Bachelor” surging in senior living communities, Revel Communities decided to incorporate a little competition to spice things up a bit.

All 13 of Revel’s communities are holding watch parties for every episode, as well as a “Golden Bachelor” bracket competition. Seeing a face that looks like yours on the television can be an eye-opening experience, especially for older adults, according to Danette Opaczewski, chief operating officer and executive vice president of resident experience at Revel.

“The residents are highly engaged with the competition, as they feel connected to the … cast,” she said. Residents “exude excitement watching their peers on television in this capacity,” she added.

For the bracket competition, each community has been randomly assigned two “Golden Bachelor” contestants to champion throughout the season. The community that has its contestant selected at the end will earn a grand finale screening party

Despite the friendly competition, the communities are united in their appreciation for what they see as an honest portrayal of the aging experience. 

“The ‘Golden Bachelor’ is not just about romance; it’s a testament to the vitality of the golden years,” Opaczewski said. “It challenges stereotypes, proving that men and women in this age group can be just as energetic, adventurous and healthy as anyone else.” 

Of course, as with its predecessors featuring younger contestants, the show caters to the hopeless romantic in us all. Jane Bronsky, a resident at Revel Scottsdale in Arizona, said she admires the determination of her peers on the screen and sees a little bit of herself in them. 

“My favorite part …  is watching women over the age of 60 still actively looking for love,” she said. “I love watching them put their best foot forward to fight for what they want. I feel a strong sense of connection with the cast because I also have not given up on love. I love the fact that there are still women out there my age willing to try and find the one, just like I am.”

​​Click here to see the In Focus archive and read how to submit photos of activities at your community for consideration of publication.

The McCormick Place convention center in Chicago features a wide array of art from across the world in its public art collection. The newest pieces, however, don’t come from across the ocean.

They come from up the shore of Lake Michigan. Residents of Mather Place, an independent living community in Wilmette, IL, collaborated with a scout troop and high school volunteers to create four rocking chairs and a large drum table. The items made their debut at the LeadingAge Annual Meeting, Nov. 5 to 8.

“At McCormick Place, we believe in using art to engage and educate visitors from all corners of the globe,” said Nicol Chervenak, director of planning and program management at the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which owns the convention center. “With a collection featuring over 100 pieces by local and international artists, we’ve embedded art into the very soul of our venue, and these wonderful pieces of furniture will only add to the experience our visitors enjoy.”

Seven youth and teen volunteers and 25 Mather Place residents worked together to complete the project over six months. The furniture design includes imagery of Illinois prairies and poses beautiful questions mosaiced onto the table to invite conversation. In addition to being an opportunity to create beautiful art, it also was an opportunity to connect generations that may not otherwise interact with each other frequently. 

“I learned the importance of intergenerational interaction. It really showed me how valuable that can be,” said Ruby Pan, a high school volunteer. “I enjoyed hearing about the residents’ life experiences and their stories, and the connections that I made.”

Although the conference has ended, the handiwork of the intergenerational team will remain in the exhibit for other visitors to enjoy, proof that great things can be accomplished when generations put their heads together.

The ongoing exhibit will be “exposing the thousands of future McCormick Place visitors to explore the benefits of intergenerational connections,” said Sharon Sullivan, vice president of brand experience and head of conferences at LeadingAge. “We’re thrilled to add these MPEA’s collection.”

Click here to see the In Focus archive and read how to submit photos of activities at your community for consideration of publication.

Five years ago, Woodbury Mews associate Anna Catando never had touched a paintbrush in her life. But that quickly changed when she met Elaine Lewis, a 94-year-old resident of the Watermark Retirement Communities senior living community in Woodbury, NJ.

What started as a student-teacher relationship has blossomed into a beautiful friendship and an art class for the entire community. 

“[Before joining Woodbury Mews], I had never been in a senior living facility. This is my first job doing this,” Catando said. “So when I met Elaine, she made me feel very comfortable here when she took me under her wing and taught me how to paint. I call her my second mom.”

Together, Catando and Lewis started a painting course through Watermark University, programmatic offerings in the seven dimensions of wellness (spiritual, emotional, vocational, physical, social, environmental, and intellectual). Lewis has no formal training in art but has kept the hobby most of her life. Her favorite subjects are landscapes and people, and she has kept busy during her time at the community. 

“She’s got 15 paintings in her room,” Catando said. “I showed her a painting of water hitting a rock, and she took it and ran with it and painted a beautiful painting. She totally inspires me.”

The course takes on an extra significance for Catando. She is able to have great conversations with Elaine and other residents about the highs and lows of life while taking advantage of a fulfilling outlet for her creative talents. 

“Elaine brings out the talent in all of us, even when we don’t see it in ourselves,” Catando said. “I told her that the artist in you and me clicked, but she said, ‘No, it’s the person that clicked.’ ”

Click here to see the In Focus archive and read how to submit photos of activities at your community for consideration of publication.