First published in the Dec. 30 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.
Regular participation in the arts by older adults can help minimize effects of age-related challenges to cognitive motor skills and contribute to physical, intellectual and emotional health.
A free, eight-week series of “Creative Aging” workshops on Thursdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m., Jan. 13 through March 3, at the Pasadena Senior Center is designed to ignite each participant’s distinctive expression.
The workshops are free to members and nonmembers of the center who are 50 and older, whether they have art experience or not. Residency in Pasadena is not required. Each session will explore a different medium, and all materials will be provided at no cost at the beginning of each class.
“This workshop series is a perfect opportunity for everyone to get in touch with the right side, also known as the creative side, of our brains,” said Akila Gibbs, executive director of the Pasadena Senior Center. “Flexing our creative muscles can help us thrive as we age.”
The workshops are presented by the UCLA Visual and Performing Arts Education Program. To register or for more information, visit pasadenaseniorcenter.org and click on lectures and classes, then workshops or call (626) 795-4331.
The “Creative Aging” series is just one of the many free programs at the center that connects arts and healthy aging. These include the Art Exploration Club that meets the first and second Friday of every month so everyone can express their creativity; and Cultural Thursday events, including a Jan. 13 multimedia presentation about the life and career of three-time Academy Award-winning film-score composer Max Steiner.
Fee-based workshops and classes include The Masters Series, the winter term of which will explore modern and contemporary art and artists Jan. 18 to Feb. 22; and ongoing courses ranging from acting to creative writing to watercolors. For more information about these and other programs at the center, visit the website and click on Lectures and Classes or Activities and Events, or call (626) 795-4331.
In addition to online classes, onsite events and other activities, members and nonmembers of the Pasadena Senior Center are encouraged to visit the website regularly for a monthly magazine, COVID updates specifically for older adults and more.
The center, at 85 E. Holly St., is an independent, donor-supported nonprofit organization that has served older adults for more than 60 years. During the pandemic, doors are open Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for social services and other critical services for older adults in need as well as the library, Sy Graff Fitness Center, computer lab and limited occupancy for events. Masks and social distancing are required. Rooms are sanitized after each use.
In accordance with Los Angeles County Public Health Department guidelines, proof of COVID vaccination is required for everyone who uses the fitness center or attends onsite activities indoors.
