There’s a long tradition of writers gathering to swap stories and feed on each other’s creative energy. At Lutheran Hillside Village, a senior living community in Peoria, Illinois, that tradition has taken the form of the Pen Souls.
The members write in a wide range of styles on a wide range of topics. As a creative exercise, stories started by one member can be passed around and finished by another. These games help keep the creative “pumps primed”, which makes tackling larger, more personal projects easier.
“It’s good for mental dexterity — not to mention manual dexterity,” says Ken Jones, one of the founders of the group. “Just the act of writing keeps the joints strong.” And Ken knows his stuff — writing offers a wide range of benefits for older adults, from the intellectual to the physical to the spiritual.
For example, one psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin reports findings that indicate the act of journaling strengthens our immune system. Other researchers tell us that writing takes the edge off asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.
It all comes down to stress. Writing down thoughts about stressful or unpleasant events can help the writer sort through his or her feelings about those events, which lowers stress levels. People utilize the logically-oriented language centers of the left brain when they write. In writing about bad times, we rationally “unpack” our emotions.
This works on a daily basis for journal-writers, but it can also work on a larger scale. Combat veterans are encouraged to keep a journal to help “unpack” traumatic events they experienced on active duty. That’s one reason that many groups have started interviewing World War II vets.
But another reason for this initiative is one that resonates with millions of seniors — the desire to preserve a piece of living history. “I wanted my children and grandchildren to have a better feeling for who I am,” says Jerry Carlson, a resident at Concordia Village in Springfield, Illinois. In his 70s, Jerry has spent months writing his life story for the benefit of his family. “I didn’t know much about my grandparents. I wish I’d asked more questions. I didn’t want my grandkids to say, ‘I wonder what he was like.’”
The Pen Souls’ work is collected in a series of large binders, which are available in the Village library. But over and above the creation of a sizeable body of resident-produced work, and the health benefits for everyone involved, perhaps the greatest result of the group’s formation has been the friendships formed. After all, writing can be a terrific social activity as well.
As longtime member Diana Carlson puts it, “It’s a wonderful way to get to know people in a different way. In fact, it’s the place where I get to know people the best.”
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If you’re thinking about your future plans, Lutheran Senior Services communities are great places to start. Offering independent living apartments and patio homes, our warm, welcoming campuses offer easy access to assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing should your needs change. For more information or to arrange a visit, click here.
An interpretation of Luke 12:48 from Eugene Peterson’s “The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language” reads, “Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities.”
How many nicknames do YOU know for the Sultan of Swat, the King of Crash, the Colossus of Clout? George Herman “Babe” Ruth collected noms de batte like the millions of kids who idolized him collected baseball cards. And with good cause — more than 80 years after he hit a record-breaking 60 home runs in a single season, The Babe is still considered by most sports historians as the greatest player the sport of baseball has ever seen. This month, we celebrate the birthday of Babe Ruth (Feb. 6, 1895) with some little known facts about the Rajah of Rap, the Wazir of Wham, the…well, you get the idea.
If there’s a common thread in Nancy Lysen Kirtley’s life experiences, it’s making the world a finer place. Professionally, Nancy has devoted most of her life to improving people’s lives through medical social work, but since retiring, she works to bring beauty to her surroundings through her painting. 
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Skeleton-finger trees. Gray, colorless landscapes. Nothing to do but watch television, even THAT’s been pretty terrible this year. Wintertime stinks unless you’re curled up with a good book and a roaring fire, but even that gets old after a while.
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Just sitting around is not an option for Chuck and Reva Krell. After selling their business in Jacksonville, Illinois, and moving to Concordia Village, the couple is busier than ever. 
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As we age, certain things become inevitable. At some point, we all begin to need additional help. We give up driving. We stay in more. But, Phyllis says, moving to a senior community isn’t a sign that we’re giving up on living independently. “Just the opposite, in fact. It’s a way to preserve our independence for as long as possible.”
Moving from a full-sized house to an apartment can be a tricky transition for some. But, Phyllis says, it’s important to keep a few things in perspective. “Let’s say you’re living alone in a three-bedroom house,” she says. “It’s important to look at the space that you’re actually using in that house. More often than not, a single person only ends up using a very small percentage of their floorplan on a daily basis.”
