A Young At Heart Senior Glee Club With Seniors From Ardmore, Wynnewood, Merion and Narberth

I recently reviewed a movie playing at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute. The film, Young@Heart, chronicled the joys and travails of a senior citizens glee club located in Massachusetts; the screening was sponsored by the Eastern Pennsylvania Geriatric Society. 

No sooner had I posted the story, when readers informed me that we have a senior citizens glee club right here in Narberth. It is the New Horizons Glee Club which operates from the New Horizons Senior Center.

Curious to compare their performance with the film, I traveled to see a performance at the Kearsley Rehab and Nursing Center on Belmont Avenue. The director of the ensemble, Selma Savitz, was kind enough to give our readers an interview and the glee club was kind enough to allow the taping of one of their song performances.

I was impressed by the remarkable difference in the vitality of our local group compared with the group portrayed in the film. Nobody in this group from Narberth seemed to be on the verge of their demise. In fact, they showed more vitality than some of my 50-year-old friends. 

There are those who assert that constant stimulation and new challenges (such as learning new songs and performing in changing musical venues) make for a long and satisfying life. This group certainly seems to support that proposition.

The short video clip in this article does not give this group justice. I encourage you to attend one of their live performances. Go here to see their performance schedule. If you would like them to come to your organization, contact Selma at 610-664-2458.

Stay well until the next post. 

Bob Gasparro

Bob Gasparro is an Elder Practitioner (accountant and attorney). He can be reached at Robert.Gasparro@lifespanlegal.com or (484) 297-2050. Comments to this post, and ideas for future posts are welcome.