The arts play a huge role in contributing to community culture and finding meaning. Beyond simply attending classes, HumanGood residents bring music, theatre and the arts to life, encouraged to pursue their passions freely and share them with the greater community. To us, that is inspiring true wellness.
HumanGood Life Plan Communities (sometimes known as a continuing care retirement community or CCRC) take a holistic approach to wellness where culture, creative energy and lifelong learning are central to everyday life. That means we focus on more than just physical health; we aim to nurture every aspect of your well-being through events, programs and surroundings that are all designed to help you thrive in your next chapter.
Below, we illustrate how HumanGood Life Plan Communities provide opportunities to explore the love of artistic pursuits such as music, theater and art.
For one, engaging with the arts can actually improve your quality of life. According to the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, both creating and seeing art can:
Raise serotonin levels
Increase blood flow to the part of the brain associated with pleasure
Foster new ways of thinking
Instill a more positive outlook on the future
Committing to lifelong learning has similar effects. The Stanford Center on Longevity links prolonged educational engagement to better mental health, greater adaptability and a stronger sense of purpose. Take Linda of The Mansion at Rosemont, a HumanGood community in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She’s part of the theatre group there with her husband, Mike, and also enjoys taking art classes in The Mansion’s breathtaking art studio.
“There’s nothing better than spending hours learning new ways to create pieces with different types of paint in this beautiful space,” Linda says. “Every class offers me an opportunity to learn something new, which is good for my heart and soul.”
Ruth at The Terraces of Los Gatos, a HumanGood community in California, shares a similar sentiment after finding her niche working with clay. “There are many ways to stretch our minds and our bodies at The Terraces, which makes for a very full and happy life,” she says. “I continue my creative pursuits and am always learning something new, which is exciting.”
In addition, for many older adults, retirement offers the first real opportunity to fully dive into creative passions that were long sidelined by careers and daily obligations. After all, once you have the time and access to the right resources, what’s stopping you? As you prepare for your move to a Life Plan Community, explore what’s available and consider which hobbies or artistic ventures you may want to take up in your next chapter.
HumanGood communities prioritize pursuing your interests, no matter what they are. This includes opportunities both on and off campus for expressing yourself artistically and connecting with the community culture.
To tap into their creative side, residents can:
Encouraging artistic expression means providing the right environments for residents to flourish and experiment with different mediums and art forms. At HumanGood, this includes amenities such as studios, performance centers, workshops, music rooms and curated outdoor spaces.
For example, you can usually find Rod (a resident at Hillside, a HumanGood community in McMinnville, OR) in the woodworking shop creating wooden utensils and charcuterie boards. As chair of the woodworking committee, he is affectionately known around campus as the “fix-it guy,” refinishing and refurbishing furniture for residents and assisting the buildings and grounds committee with smaller projects around campus.
Stepping into a class alongside peers creates an environment of mutual growth and encouragement. Rather than just offering basic craft classes, HumanGood communities lean into robust educational programming focused on building deep, meaningful friendships anchored in shared creative goals. This includes collaborations with local universities and art institutions, keynote speakers, expert-led masterclasses and more.
At Piedmont Gardens, a HumanGood community in Oakland, California, Sheila attends weekly art classes in the dedicated art studio on campus. Her work has been featured in two community art shows, and she enjoys painting with other residents. “It’s truly a place where I am surrounded by creativity and inspiration,” she says.
Similarly, at Springhouse, a HumanGood community in Boston, Jerry is another resident who frequents his community’s art studio. He enjoys lectures and discussion groups — especially those focused on topics such as American history and Mozart.
All sorts of interest groups exist on each campus, spanning a range of hobbies, from card clubs and sports teams to religious organizations and volunteer opportunities. Many of these groups are centered on the arts in various forms.
Ann of Valle Verde (a HumanGood community in Santa Barbara, California) is a member of “Art from the Heart,” a volunteer-led art program formed by residents at various communities where they gather to appreciate the arts, socialize and foster creative connection. “This group plans trips to local museums and art galleries and does projects together," says Ann. "It’s a wonderful way for me to keep my love of art alive and share that passion with others.”
Take the “Lively Lit” group at The Terraces of Boise, in Idaho, which offers a creative and welcoming space to participate in engaging events and programs, fostering connection and cultural enrichment. Joel is a resident at The Terraces and an active member of the group, which provides opportunities to read poetry and song lyrics out loud, enriching the cultural fabric of the community.
Of course, residents can explore the variety of groups and clubs that already exist on campus, or form one of their own with a few neighbors — that’s exactly what Irene did. From art classes and poker to world travel and working on the community finance and budget committee, Irene is involved in programs too numerous to list. If a club doesn’t exist at White Sands in La Jolla, CA, she creates it, making her an invaluable member of the community.
Some communities host formal art exhibitions, opening their doors to the local public to showcase resident-created works. This provides community members with a profound sense of purpose, and it helps ensure they remain relevant, contributing voices in the art world.
Springhouse has given Suzanne a new perspective on independent living and an endless stream of opportunities to express herself. As someone deeply connected to the arts, she was thrilled to be invited to participate in the art committee. Serving as part of the committee, she helps to select pieces of art for the hallways and create the gallery in Springhouse’s main lobby, which gets refreshed with new exhibitions four times each year.
Tony at The Terraces of Los Altos, a HumanGood community in California, works closely with the spiritual director to plan the weekly faith and music worship service, which Tony calls “a real blessing.” He plays a variety of instruments, including piano, violin and clarinet, performing often for his friends and neighbors. Not only does he play for his fellow residents, but he also shares his passion for music with the greater community. He teaches violin to middle school children at the Community Music and Arts program in Mountain View, the largest nonprofit provider of art and music education programs in both Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.
Furthermore, scheduled transportation regularly takes residents to regional art galleries, Broadway-style shows, orchestral performances and other live events. Not only does this make it easy to find others with similar interests, but it removes the friction of driving or parking in busy downtown centers.
At HumanGood, your options for self-expression are virtually limitless. We encourage you to find ways to nurture your creativity that both challenge you and make you feel good, and use your passions as an opportunity to connect with others who share your interests. By providing the time, space and tools, our communities ensure that your creative self continues to evolve.