Conversations for All
Active Older Adult (AOA) Community Cafés bring together those who are 55 and older to build health in spirit, mind, and body so that we thrive with greater purpose, connection, and well-being. Each café includes time for a resource person to share, pose, and answer questions in a discussion space facilitated for support and encouragement. Let your emotional and intellectual responses guide your exploration of each chosen topic.
AOA Community Cafés are brought to you by the Washington State Alliance of YMCAs and are free for all. We encourage you to invite your friends and family!
Connect & Share
Each café is an hour-long Zoom call starting with a large group welcome time. We will explore the day’s topic through an engaging presentation to get you thinking and prepared for a 20-minute reflective dialogue in small groups about the subject. Everyone is invited to listen and contribute as they feel comfortable. The large group gathers back the last five minutes for a note of encouragement.
Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole
While we are urged to busily pursue happiness, let’s consider the place of difficult emotions like sorrow and longing in our lives. We will explore how poignancy can help us focus on what matters most: love and belonging.
Tuesday, November 14
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Register here >>
What is Gratitude?
At its core, gratitude is a positive emotional response to the receipt of a gift or benefit from someone. The benefits of gratitude extend far beyond just an expression of thanks to improved wellness and stronger relationships. Together we’ll explore the benefits and the reasons we to express gratitude every day.
Tuesday, November 21
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Register here >>
Sharing Holiday Traditions
The holiday season is full of traditions based on faith practices, cultural rituals, and family favorites. Various perspectives on how these traditions make the holidays special will be shared. You can share your traditions, too.
Tuesday, November 28
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Register here >>
Mindfulness to Reduce Holiday Stress
Sometimes the pace and stress of the holiday season can leave us feeling overwhelmed and overwrought. Find out how mindful breathing and mindful walking can help relieve stress.
Tuesday, December 5
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Register here >>
Music as Medicine
Let’s explore the power of music as a healer of the mind. We’ll examine the benefits that music brings to us as we experience deep emotion, plus those with chronic illness and cognitive decline. You’ll get resources for music to share and YMCA programs that tap into this power for those with memory loss.
Tuesday, December 12
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Register here >>
Life Lessons From an 89-Year-Old Grave Digger
Find meaning through perseverance and generosity. What is the source of contentment? And what is “enough?” We’ll visit an example of how giving of oneself provides a sense of purpose.
December 19, 2023
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Register here >>
No cafés on December 26 and January 2.
Questions
If you have questions about our Community Café conversations, please email Heather Steele at hsteele@seattleymca.org.
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Branches Are Now Open!
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