Wellness Corner: CoGenerate

COMMUNITY EVENTS

GET INVOLVED!

Want to join a resident-led program, or start one yourself? Reach out to our Life Enrichment team for opportunities to get involved.

LADIES HIGH TEA

Located on site and throughout the Naples area, this monthly social event features a delectable spread of tea blends, sandwiches, refreshments, and of course, juicy conversation. Did you know? Legend has it that afternoon tea was started in the mid-1800s by the Duchess of Bedford, who, in the afternoons, found herself with a "sinking feeling." This was likely fatigue from hunger during the long wait between meals. She decided to invite friends over for assorted snacks and tea, which was a very fashionable drink at the time. The idea of an afternoon tea gathering spread across high society and remains a favorite pastime to this day!

GENT’S LUNCH

An affinity group meeting each month, located on site and throughout the Naples area, enjoying lunch, libations, and discussing active living in the 21st century.

COMMUNITY SING

Join Mike Nardi and Joan O'Donnell the first Tuesday of the month in the Grand Living Room to sing with your neighbors. Did you know there are several proven emotional and physical benefits of choral singing? Singing in community strengthens feelings of togetherness, regulates heart rate, reduces stress levels and depression, improves symptoms of Parkinson's and lung disease, improves feelings of social well-being, and can even increase life expectancy. Mike and Joan lead songs from diverse genres and styles, and all vocal parts and comfort levels are welcome.

OPEN MIC POETRY & STORYTELLING

Led by resident poet, Jackie, and facilitated by Life Enrichment Director, Brittany. Residents are encouraged to write their own poetry or story about a theme decided upon by the group the month prior. Participants are also welcome to simply recite a poem or story of their choice written by other authors. We’ve had topics ranging from first cars to desserts, so anything’s game!

SKY LOUNGE KARAOKE

Tap into joy every other week with Karaoke led by George and Dawn. Enjoy happy hour refreshments, socialize with your neighbors, and sing, tap, clap, and dance to your heart’s delight.

JEOPARDY

Our own William Vonier curates a thrilling Jeopardy game each Monday. For question source material, Bill uses decks of trivia cards, books, and extensive research. Be on the lookout for questions from a "special" category developed personally by Bill. Typical special categories might include medicine, the state of Florida, college sports, the Constitution, food, animals, STEM (science, technology, engineering, math), and diverse holidays.

A COLUMN ON GLOBAL APPROACHES AND INSIGHTS INTO AGING WELL

WELLNESS CORNER:

This issue we are highlighting the good work of “CoGenerate,” which focuses on what the vast (and still growing) older population can do in collaboration with younger generations to solve our nation’s most pressing problems.

We’re living in the most age-diverse society in human history. Will we make the most of it?

There are almost equal numbers of people alive today at every age, from birth to age 70 and beyond. With more people living longer, fi vegeneration workplaces and three-generation households are surging. The opportunity to tap the unique and complementary talents of people of all ages and build a multigenerational force for good is here. We commissioned this study to fi nd out what Americans think about cogeneration — a strategy to bring older and younger people together to solve problems and bridge divides. We got a dose of optimism and clarity in return. To start, the fi ndings paint a picture of pent-up demand. A sizable segment of the younger and older populations is hungry for opportunities not only for intergenerational connection, but cogenerational action — the chance to join forces in co-creating a bett er future. The survey reveals a commonsensical fi t in the motivations behind this interest. Older people want to share what they’ve learned from life, and younger people are eager to incorporate their insights. Older people’s top priority for cogenerational work? The environment, a fi nding that underscores the deep interest older generations have in the world they will leave behind. For young people, mental health tops the list. Given the pandemic’s toll of loneliness and purposelessness on elders, it’s not hard to imagine a coalition of olders and youngers on mental health. A cross-generational alliance on the environment holds great promise, as well. Younger and older people make plain the challenges of these prospects. It’s hard for many people to know how to get started working across generational lines when daily life is so segregated by age. We need more formal opportunities to make coming together in common purpose easier. For all these cautions, the overarching message from this study is clear: America’s growing age diversity represents an extraordinary opportunity to come together in joy, understanding and action. Let’s seize it.

By Marc Freedman and Eunice Lin Nichols, Co-CEOs of CoGenerate

Dive into this research snapshot

and learn more at www.Cogenerate.org