Bingo and arts and crafts activities are taking a back seat to cultural activities at some higher-end senior living communities in and around New York City, a New York Times article reports.
At Brookdale Battery Park, for example, residents have had the opportunity to learn about the history of particular shows from members of the New York City Ballet, along with performances by the dancers. Residents also have been treated to lectures with behind the scenes information and the history of costumes and makeup from Broadway stylist Robert Amodeo.
In Midtown Manhattan, Sunrise East 56th is slated to open sometime this summer, and its proximity to many of the city’s museums has staff planning cultural excursions, according to the article.
At Inspīr Carnegie Hill, a luxury senior living community on Manhattan’s Upper East Side opened in March by Maplewood Senior Living and Omega Healthcare Investors, activities have included a horticulture class.
“Horticultural therapy helps with hand-eye coordination, and there’s something about gardening that sparks a lot of personal stories,” Maplewood Senior Vice President of Operations Amy Silva-Magalhaes, a 2020 McKnight’s Women of Distinction honoree, told the Times.
The community also offers classes such as memoir writing through the 92nd Street Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Association and art history through The Jewish Museum.
According to a 2017 Welltower poll of 3,000 adults who lived in 10 large North American cities, most people living in cities believe the location offers advantages when it comes to options for healthcare, transportation and making new friends, which they deemed especially important for older adults.
