https://reasonstobecheerful.world/older-adults-loneliness-storytelling/
"In just minutes, the Life Story Club in New York City springs to life. On
Zoom, a mosaic of faces — each with decades of lived experience — leans in as
Bernd, a retired urban planner for the Bronx and Manhattan, recalls how the
pandemic nudged him into new passions: playing jazz harmonica and taking up
woodworking. “It’s a social event,” he animatedly describes his woodworking
group. “We talk and sing together while we make art.”
Prompted by Ezra Guerin Gates, Life Story Club’s warm and thoughtful program
manager, the conversation blossoms. The prompt: share a time when you stumbled
into a new interest. Bernd’s story unlocks a floodgate — Wanda reminisces about
playing the flute, Victor beams as he describes his passions for Broadway and
pickleball, and Susan, an artist, recounts how a lump of clay sparked a love
for ceramics so strong that her home is now filled with her creations. (To
protect against elder fraud, Life Story Club shares only participants’ first
names.)
The six-member group meets weekly as part of the Institute for Family Health’s
community programming, connecting residents of collocated clinics and
affordable housing sites. There’s a lot of laughter and affirmation, but the
meetings are also medicine.
“I really do need this contact with people,” Bernd admits. “Hearing your
stories — feeling connected — is so important to me. I was skeptical,
especially being the only man in the group at first. But I’ve discovered we
have so much in common.”
Susan nods. “I didn’t know how much I needed Life Story Club until I joined.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
