Page 6 - Demo

Sunday, October 19, 2025 | Special Advertising Section6Bestyears MENTAL HEALTH77-year-old resident of Seattle%u2019s Wedgwood neighborhood. %u201cWhen you retire, it%u2019s like you%u2019re out of sight, out of mind. And if you want to stay in touch with people, then you have to be the one who initiates it.%u201d This social group still meets online regularly via Zoom, and they also meet in person occasionally at a restaurant, hold group picnics and throw holiday parties.Wick is also active in the group North East Seattle Together, or NEST, a communityfocused nonprofit that aims to engage neighbors in supporting one another through the aging process. NEST offers everything from walking groups and qigong to workshops on dealing with dementia and deciphering Apple devices.Wick leads a monthly %u201creaders theater%u201d group through NEST.%u201cWe read plays out loud,%u201d she says %u2014 choosing their selections with input from the is through an event that%u2019s new this year: the monthly Makers Morning, an opportunity for people to hang out while working on their crafts %u2014 knitting, crocheting, painting, sewing, even paint-by-numbers %u2014 or simply enjoying the creativity of others.%u201cIt has really started to get traction,%u201d Cowan says. %u201cWe get people who are 87 down to people who work from home. We drink coffee and talk, and it is absolutely fabulous.%u201dCowan says there are usually around 10 to 15 people who show up each month, with the oldest in their late 80s, but many younger as well. %u201cIt%u2019s a very nice community,%u201d Cowan says.Cowan also volunteers at The 5th Avenue Theatre Company and participates in two monthly book clubs and two swim groups.%u201cBoth my book clubs and my swim groups are very varied ages, and that is something I appreciate as I get older,%u201d she says. %u201cIn some ways, I feel younger because of that %u2026 I learn from people who are older than me. I get more energy from people who are younger than me.%u201dMeanwhile, her volunteer work at the theater lets her engage with company staff and theatergoers, many of whom she sees over and over as they come to performances.%u201cA lot of these people like to go to every single show. They like to talk about the show, and that has been great,%u201d Cowan says. As a bonus, she%u2019ll often see the same folks at other arts-related events and venues around town. %u201cIt%u2019s definitely made me feel like I%u2019m part of the community, part of a network, part of the arts.%u201dStaying active after retirementWhen Nancy Wick retired at the end of 2011, she made a conscious effort to keep her connection to her co-workers.At the time she retired, she and her colleagues had been gathering for lunch about once a month. After, she made sure to continue the tradition, which moved onto Zoom when the pandemic hit.%u201cI wanted to stay in touch,%u201d says the group. %u201cWe do mostly comedies or other light fare. Our purpose is to just have fun and get everyone to participate.%u201d Past selections have included Moli%u00e8re%u2019s %u201cTartuffe,%u201d George Bernard Shaw%u2019s %u201cArms and the Man%u201d and Selina Fillinger%u2019s %u201cPOTUS.%u201dIt can take extra effort to maintain social connections post-retirement, but Wick emphasizes that the investment is well worth it. %u201cYou just follow your interests,%u201d she says. %u201cBe the person who%u2019s willing to initiate that. Because once you leave the office, you%u2019re gone.%u201dFor those who might be shy about taking the first step, Lifelong Recreation%u2019s BaxterClubine urges taking a chance on something new.%u201cJust give it a try. Step outside your comfort zone,%u201d she says. %u201cIt%u2019s just for fun. And we try to meet everybody where they are.%u201d Continued from previous page Locals visit the Dambo Troll on Vashon Island. (Courtesy of Lifelong Recreation)