You’re never too old to do karaoke.
On Monday and Thursday, Korean-American seniors start their morning right: with a karaoke jam session.
On Tuesday morning, Chinese seniors congregate for tai chi.
Every weekday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Homage’s Center for Healthy Living in Lynnwood offers a venue for groups from four cultures to gather for activities and education, offered in their native language.
The center’s multicultural senior program draws up to 100 attendees a day.
The free service, funded in part by grants from Verdant Health Commission and Snohomish County, is one of three multicultural programs of its kind in Washington. It offers members access to bilingual social services staff and nutritional support.
Center coordinator Shannon Serier organizes the meetings where seniors get socialization tailored to them.
“They get to meet with people with similar cultural values,” Serier said.
Or, similar enough. Members of the Filipino group speak many different dialects, but can communicate in Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines.
“We all grew up in the same place, even if we aren’t the same Filipino,” said Leonila Pipp, of Marysville.
Pipp, 72, moved to the United States in 1997.
Apart from helping to raise her three grandchildren and going shopping, Pipp didn’t have many hobbies after retiring.
“I was working too hard,” Pipp said.
In 2015, a neighbor and family friend suggested that they attend the meetings together. Now, they carpool every week.
“If we’re not here, what are we going to do? Especially if the weather isn’t good,” she said.
The groups enjoy a hot lunch, catered to their cultural preferences. The meal has a suggested donation of $3. Most members also bring homemade snacks to share.
Favorite activities for Korean members are karaoke, line dancing and bingo.
The Chinese group meets Tuesdays. They’re fans of tai chi and mahjong.
The Vietnamese group shares poetry and exercises together Wednesdays.
The Filipino group meets Fridays for yoga, dancing and event planning.
Each group organizes events. The group loves to gather for holiday parties. They gathered Christmas Day for food and festivities. For Halloween, members coordinated Alice In Wonderland costumes.
Member Joseph Tan dressed as The Mad Hatter, outfitted with a curly orange wig, dapper purple suit and top hat. Tan, a bus driver for more than 30 years, didn’t have many close Filipino friends before attending the meetings.
“Now these people here are my friends,” said Tan, 76. “Sharing stories, eating, and having fun.”
Since he started attending meetings in 2014, Tan has become one of the most active volunteer members.
Now that the holiday parties are over, they’re planning their next adventure: a cruise to Victoria this summer with other members of their group.
Myers is active within the regional Filipino community, but the multicultural senior program is one of her favorite gathering spots.
“This is our family, every Friday,” she said.
The Center for Healthy Living is at 4100 Alderwood Mall Blvd., #1. In late spring, the Center will relocate to a larger venue at 5026 196th St. SW in Lynnwood. The roomier location, which also will house Homage’s other service departments, will provide more room for dancing and exercise.
Homage Senior Services extends a special thank-you to Verdant Health Commission and Snohomish County for supporting the Center for Healthy Living. Thank you to all who volunteer at the center.
To learn more about the center go to www.homage.org or call 425-290-1268.
See upcoming events and activities at the Center for Healthy Living in the calendar on Page 5 of this month’s edition.
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