Sung Ihn Son fell into depression after the death of her husband. Making new friends and taking classes like dance and art at GenSpace in Los Angeles helped her feel happy again.
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In the United States, the number of people reaching traditional retirement age is increasing significantly. Every day, across the country, around 11,000 people turn 65.
While many look forward to a new phase of life after retiring from their day jobs, there is a need to reimagine places and spaces for people to thrive.
This is what Wallis Annenberg wants to do. The 84-year-old CEO and president of the Annenberg Foundation wants to change the conversation about aging and envisioned a space where older adults would come together to grow and learn.
Her vision was shaped by observations that troubled her. “I’ve noticed older Americans sitting alone in restaurants, in movie theaters, in parks, in the middle of the day, and I think that’s sad,” Annenberg says. Too many people seemed cut off from society.
“It’s simply not true that old age has become a time of social isolation, and I want to work to change that,” she says.
His vision has become a reality with GenSpace, a new type of senior center located in the Koreatown neighborhood of Los Angeles, where people from all walks of life and backgrounds come to meet, take classes and share their skills, passions and their personal journeys. .
“I still feel young inside and brave,” says Ann Batcheller, who found a community of like-minded people at GenSpace.
Words you won’t hear here are old, baby boomer or senior citizens. It’s a place where people come to try new things and get creative – whether it’s painting lessons, drumming lessons, or writing a new song and singing in a choir, like the said Lorraine Morland, 68 years old.
“If you can just walk into a place and have that much fun at our age, it’s a wonderful thing,” Morland says. “You’d think we’re teenagers again.”
Lorraine Morland takes art, drums and choir classes at GenSpace. She also enjoys sitting in the library area and reading. “It’s a beautiful place,” Morland says.
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Morland used to live on the streets. After years of difficult times, she turned her life around. She paints, sings in a choir, and volunteers for Catholic charities that help others. She lives alone and says GenSpace helps her thrive.
“We are valued here. …They give you love and dignity. It’s a beautiful place,” Morland says.
What’s unusual about GenSpace is the mix of cultures and backgrounds among the members, who pay about $10 a month to join — thanks to philanthropic support from the Annenberg Foundation. Mary Collins, a retired teacher, and Batcheller, a retired law professional, say they didn’t like what they found at traditional senior centers. “They felt very dated, very old, not me,” Batcheller says.
Ann Batcheller and Mary Collins became good friends at GenSpace. “I don’t know what I would do without it,” Collins says.
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When she entered GenSpace, she felt a sense of possibility. In addition to fitness classes, there is belly dancing and tai chi. There is a horticulture class, where members learn gardening skills, and a technology bar, where members troubleshoot problems with their smartphones and other devices. Financial security courses offer tips and strategies for avoiding potential scams.
“The patience, encouragement and support,” Batcheller says, makes it a very positive and dynamic environment. And, she says, the physical space is immaculate and stunning. A round atrium with floor-to-ceiling windows runs through the center of the building, spilling sunlight everywhere.
Aging expert Marc Freedman says the atrium inside GenSpace seems metaphorical. He cites the late anthropologist Mary Catherine Bateson, who wrote about the idea of a “midlife atrium,” a place where one can step back from previous identities and experiences and reflect on new possibilities. Bateson spoke of a new stage of adulthood – when children grow up and careers come to an end – which may be the age of active wisdom.
Freedman sees GenSpace as a prototype of a new type of institution. “A new type of senior center that approximates the idea of a midlife atrium,” he says.
The atrium in the center of the building floods GenSpace with light.
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The idea of a fresh start appealed to Collins.
As an older woman, she began to feel invisible. For example, she noticed in restaurants “they seat me at the farthest table,” even if the restaurant is wide open. It’s like she’s being told she’s not worthy of attention.
GenSpace gave her new confidence to express herself. “I always ask: ‘What about this table?’ she said, pointing to a favorite spot. Being surrounded by so many peers gave her the courage to challenge the ageism that she believes is so prevalent in society. “It’s very good for me,” she said.
GenSpace hosted a summit in 2022 attended by Hollywood writers aimed at challenging stereotypes related to older people, and launched a conversation series called Aging Out Loud. The aim is to promote stories and narratives that reflect the rich experiences and wisdom of older people, with the aim of advancing conversations about older age inclusion.
“We have a culture that doesn’t respect older people enough,” Annenberg says. When ageism creeps into our thinking, “it creates enormous damage in the way we perceive the people we should cherish and welcome,” she says.
Annenberg would like to see other communities emulate the model they’ve created at GenSpace. Its location on the campus of a synagogue – in a very diverse neighborhood – is also home to a school, which brings together people from multiple generations in the same space. The goal of older people is to grow and learn. “I would like to see more places adopt this philosophy,” Annenberg says.
It’s a philosophy that helped Sung Ihn Son, who fell into depression after her husband’s death. She was alone and isolated. At GenSpace, she made new friends and developed a passion for a new hobby: painting.
“Every day I touch all the different colors,” she says, picking up her paintbrush and dipping it into her color palette. “It’s a bit of my meditation,” Son says.
Her big smile says a lot about the metamorphosis she has experienced.
“I learn every day,” Son says. His depression disappeared. She says she feels happy again and even shares her art with the world on her Instagram page.
She writes a new chapter in the atrium of her life.
Find Allison Aubrey on Instagram at @allison.aubrey and on @AubreyNPR.
This piece was edited by Jane Greenhalgh.
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