Life Enrichment

  • Sharing Stories, Sharing Meals & Sharing Art

    Sharing Stories, Sharing Meals & Sharing Art

    Elder Care Alliance and the Northern California Chapter of the American Art Therapy Association co-hosted an open studio this past weekend. It was wonderful to share an art space with those working in and around the creative art therapy field. Among our participants were several art therapists, an art student from California College of the……

  • Bringing Generations Together

    Bringing Generations Together

    Studies have found that intergenerational relationships can benefit both older and younger people in a variety of ways. From learning new skills to relieving loneliness, interaction between seniors and youth opens up a world of opportunities for new experiences. At AlmaVia of San Francisco, intergenerational programming plays a significant role in providing our residents with……

  • Spring Activities at AlmaVia of San Rafael

    Spring Activities at AlmaVia of San Rafael

    Blooming flowers and trees mark the beginning of spring here at AlmaVia of San Rafael, and spring also represents a busy time for community partnerships and upcoming events. Webelos Scout Visit On April 30 at 2 p.m., members of a local Cub Scout pack will visit AlmaVia of San Rafael. The group of Scouts, who……

  • Tips for Seniors Who Want to Dive into Social Media

    Tips for Seniors Who Want to Dive into Social Media

    Think seniors don’t use social media? That’s so 2013. In 2017, seniors are adopting social platforms for a wide variety of uses well beyond keeping tabs on grandchildren. A recent study from Michigan State University found that online networking can reduce loneliness in seniors and may even give their health a boost. More than 95……

  • Bring Your Hobbies: Assisted Living Offers Stimulating Hobbies and Activities

    Bring Your Hobbies: Assisted Living Offers Stimulating Hobbies and Activities

    As you consider a move to assisted living, you may fear having to give up beloved hobbies and activities. But the truth is, assisted living communities encourage residents to continue the pastimes they love – and may even offer unexpected activity options. In modern assisted living communities, available activities and hobbies have expanded to fit……

  • Redefining Age Through Art

    Redefining Age Through Art

    What’s the best part of being your age? How would you show that artistically? Elder Care Alliance, in collaboration with LeadingAge, sponsored ReDefining Age: A Square Foot Art Show in order to gain insights into individuals’ perspectives on the best thing about their particular ages, exploring the topic through art. Organized by Erin Partridge, an……

  • Creating Connections Across Generations

    Creating Connections Across Generations

    A local Boy Scout brings video-chat technology to senior living residents of AlmaVia of Camarillo. Every Sunday morning, 16-year-old Ben Baker video chats with his grandparents in Connecticut. They talk about what Ben is doing at school and his Boy Scout activities. “It’s great because I can talk to them and see them even though……

  • San Francisco Seniors Celebrating Culture, Making Connections

    San Francisco Seniors Celebrating Culture, Making Connections

    Bay Area senior living residents connect with community members at a St. Patrick’s Day event. For a few hours every March, a little piece of Ireland comes to AlmaVia of San Francisco. Each year, the dining room fills up with residents and staff for an afternoon of traditional Irish entertainment put on by the United……

  • AlmaVia of San Francisco’s Memory Care Breakfast Club

    AlmaVia of San Francisco’s Memory Care Breakfast Club

    The daily memory care meeting opens up one senior living resident’s world. Jerry was a bit aloof when he first arrived at AlmaVia of San Francisco in 2012. The 93-year-old didn’t like to socialize. He didn’t say much, and he tended to keep to himself. That didn’t deter Resident Assistant Ronnie Dickens, who leads the……

  • Seniors Connecting With Seniors: The Friendly Club’s Founding

    The Friendly Club has evolved from a social gathering to a mission-driven volunteer organization created by residents living with dementia. Elder Care Alliance has implemented the Hearthstone Institute’s I’m Still Here™ approach to programming in its memory care neighborhoods, a philosophy that aims to provide person-directed care to residents with memory loss. Implementation of this……