Tag: emotional wellness

QUOTES

“I do think that there is a greater ability perhaps to just sit back and enjoy a journey.” (Stuart)

“We’re living in a world of peaks. You go to see a Marvel movie and every five minutes there’s going to be some kind of crazy thing that stirs you and pumps you with adrenaline. Listening to great music is not that.” (Stuart)

“What we’re doing is creating a landscape of sound and intensity. Yes, you’re going to have your peaks, but then you’re going to have long periods of lulls that allow for the next peak to be something special.” (Stuart)

“I do think that as you get older, there’s a greater willingness to reflect on what it means to be alive, what it means to exist in this world.” (Stuart)

“There’s so much anger, so much infighting among groups and fighting with other groups that people are looking for ways to make sense of all of that. And at its core, that’s what art is attempting to do.” (Stuart)

“When you come to a concert, you’re being thrust together to experience something as a community — a kind of ad hoc community that will not exist again after this day.” (Stuart)

“Your presence, your energy, your focus is palpable. I can’t describe what it feels like, but I feel it.” (Stuart)

“When you’re at a concert, you’re actively engaged in the artistic endeavor. It’s not like we’re performing and you’re listening.” (Stuart)

“Don’t judge yourself based on other people’s perspectives. Know what you want, know what’s important to you, and pursue that.” (Stuart)

NOTES

Stuart Malina has served as Music Director and Conductor of the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra for more than 25 years. A Tony Award-winning orchestrator and accomplished pianist, he is known for blending classical tradition with contemporary perspectives while championing the emotional and communal power of live music.

The Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest continuously operating orchestras in the United States, performing at the historic Forum Auditorium in downtown Harrisburg. The organization presents classical masterworks, pops concerts and educational programming while working to expand accessibility and deepen community engagement through live music experiences.

Malina won a Tony Award for his orchestration work on Twyla Tharp and Billy Joel’s Broadway production Moving Out. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with artists across multiple disciplines including dancers, actors and rock musicians. He also discussed the challenges of contemporary classical composition, the importance of exposing audiences to new music and the role arts organizations play in combating loneliness and fostering human connection.

Malina reflected on how audiences often develop a deeper appreciation for music and art as they age, citing patience, perspective and emotional openness as contributing factors.

He discussed how classical music differs from modern entertainment because it embraces emotional peaks and valleys rather than constant stimulation and adrenaline.

Malina described live performance as a shared community experience that cannot be replicated through recordings, emphasizing the energy exchange between performers and audiences.

He shared stories illustrating music’s profound effect on cognition and emotion, including experiences involving individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and developmental disabilities.

Malina explained how working on Broadway’s Moving Out expanded his understanding of artistry and deepened his respect for musicians, dancers and choreographers from outside the classical world.

He spoke about the importance of contemporary composers and challenged the notion that great music only exists in the past, arguing that today’s composers are creating work that will endure for generations.

Malina discussed how concerts and other live arts experiences can help combat loneliness by creating safe, communal environments where people feel connected through shared experiences.

QUOTES

“One day I was young and I went to bed. I woke up. I was old. That’s how it happens. Suddenly, without warning, you’re there.” (J.J.)

“It was really a search for bold. I didn’t start it even as a book. I certainly didn’t start it with a whole pile of bold ideas. I had absolutely nothing.” (J.J.)

“Everybody’s got a story. Everybody’s got stuff. You can’t base a relationship on sharing your victim story, or at least not very long or successfully.” (J.J.)

“I think a thumbnail definition of bold is facing reality and stepping up and doing what you need to do.” (J.J.)

“Getting older is a very big deal. Anyone who says it happened in a different way or that getting old is no big deal is a liar, liar, pants on fire.” (J.J.)

“Humor is a powerful tool for talking about anything sensitive or difficult.” (J.J.)

“As long as you’re fighting the word old, you’re never going to move forward.” (J.J.)

“Every time someone dies, it’s like a small library burning down.” (J.J.)

“Fear of the future and longing for the past can keep you stuck in place.” (J.J.)

“The good news is your world can get bigger much faster than it took for it to shrink.” (J.J.)

“Nobody was going to rescue me. I had to make this happen.” (J.J.)

“Be careful who you invest time in. How many viable years do I really have left? I don’t have a lot of time to make big mistakes with.” (J.J.)

NOTES

J.J. Hubal is a bestselling author, cartoonist and former special education teacher whose work explores aging through humor, honesty and visual storytelling. Her book Goodbye Old, Hello Bold encourages readers to rethink aging, embrace change and approach later life with more curiosity, courage and self-awareness.

J.J. Hubal is the author of Goodbye Old, Hello Bold, a visually driven book that blends cartoons, essays and reflections on aging. Through humor and deeply personal observations, the book addresses topics like loneliness, grief, reinvention, friendship and resilience while encouraging readers to embrace the realities of growing older.

Hubal spent decades working as a special education teacher before fully embracing writing and cartooning later in life. She has published cartoons and essays for years, with many of her cartoons focused on aging, memory, relationships and the realities of later life. She currently lives in Savannah, Georgia, where she continues writing, drawing and speaking about aging, creativity and personal growth.

J.J. said aging often creates anxiety because people become overwhelmed by loss, change and unrealistic expectations about what later life is supposed to look like.

She described “bold” as facing reality honestly and stepping up to do what needs to be done, even when the actions are small or unnoticed by others.

J.J. explained that humor helps people approach difficult conversations about aging because cartoons and comedy create emotional distance while still communicating truth.

She shared that many of the cultural narratives around aging are shifting, including the growing acceptance of using the word “old” openly and honestly.

J.J. talked about how loneliness became a turning point in her own life and inspired her to actively seek new friendships, experiences and communities.

She discussed the importance of staying open to reinvention later in life and said even small steps, like attending an art class or joining a group, can dramatically expand someone’s world.

J.J. emphasized that many fears around aging stem from clinging too tightly to the past instead of creating space for new experiences, relationships and possibilities.

She encouraged people to think proactively about aging by preparing emotionally, socially and practically for future changes rather than waiting until challenges become crises.

Grief is woven into the aging journey, yet in senior living it’s often the quiet undercurrent few talk about openly. Beyond the loss of a loved one, residents may be grieving a move, a change in mobility, a shift in identity or the gradual loss of independence. When those transitions go unacknowledged, they can surface in unexpected ways, from withdrawal and isolation to frustration or agitation. On Varsity’s weekly Roundtable, we explored how creative expression can offer a powerful, compassionate response to that reality.

Alison Schroeder, Creative Arts Coordinator at Goodwin Living, joined Varsity’s weekly Roundtable for an insightful conversation on how art-based programming creates space for emotion, connection and resilience. Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from her discussion.

GRIEF ISN’T JUST ABOUT DEATH, IT’S BUILT INTO THE AGING JOURNEY

From losing a spouse to losing a driver’s license, identity or mobility, grief shows up everywhere in senior living. Communities that acknowledge those quieter losses — not just bereavement — create space for deeper healing.

ART IS THE ANTIDOTE TO LOSS

Grief is about losing. Art is about creating. That shift from absence to expression restores agency, purpose and momentum, especially when so much else feels out of control.

RITUALS EXIST FOR DEATH, NOT FOR TRANSITIONS

We have funerals for loved ones, but no ceremony for stopping driving or moving to assisted living. Creative programming can become the missing ritual that helps residents process life’s unmarked transitions.

PROCESS MATTERS MORE THAN PRODUCT

In memory care and skilled nursing especially, the goal isn’t a perfect painting, it’s engagement. Like exercise, creative practice builds emotional strength even if there’s no masterpiece at the end.

CELEBRATION IS A FORM OF THERAPY

Art shows, books, talks and festivals don’t just showcase talent, they validate identity. Publicly honoring residents’ creative work transforms private struggle into shared pride.

SUPPORT CREATES BREAKTHROUGHS

Creative transformation rarely happens alone. Whether it’s interns, therapists, fellow residents or staff, community collaboration amplifies impact and turns individual expression into collective healing.

Varsity’s Roundtable is a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here.