Programs for Assisted Living Communities
Elders in assisted living communities have a lot to share. Stories to tell. Advice to impart. We can help!
Write Around Portland has been facilitating creative writing programs in underserved communities since 1999. And we’ve seen growth, transformations, and change in everyone from middle school students to elders.
Writing truly has the ability to change lives, and we’d love to partner with you to bring creative writing to your retirement community, residential care facility, adult day center, senior center, assisted living community, nursing home, or memory care facility!
Get Started
Interested in bringing us to your assisted living community? Fill out our Partner Interest Form!
Questions?
Sarah Weller (she/her)
Program Director
503-796-9224
sweller@writearound.org
Program Offerings for Assisted Living
Writing Groups for Assisted Living
6-10 weekly sessions
Writing Groups are 2-hour weekly sessions taking place over 6-10 weeks and are led by the same facilitator. Each session links to the previous session. Writing Groups include time for revision and include publication in our anthology for that season.
Our Writing Groups in assisted living communities emphasize the documentation and sharing of stories. Often, we are able to bring in several volunteers to help elders write and share, providing personalized one-on-one attention.
Writing Circles for Assisted Living
Single sessions
Writing Circles are great ways to bring the power of creative writing to your assisted living community. Writing Circles can occur once or repeat at any cadence you prefer. They won’t link together or build on each other. A different facilitator leads each circle.
Whether you’re testing out interest in creative writing — or want to offer residents something different on a special day — writing circles are easy to get started!
What’s the Difference?
| Writing Groups | Writing Circles |
|---|---|
| 6-10 linked sessions with the same facilitator | One session, different facilitators each time |
| Includes publication in a keepsake anthology | No publication opportunity |
| Support storytelling, life review, processing, and sharing | Support storytelling and sharing |
| Better for residential settings and programs with repeat attendees | Better for drop-in style programs and special events |
What Happens in a Session?
Lots of Time to Write
Good news: spelling and grammar DO NOT MATTER in a Write Around Portland workshop! Freewriting* is all about keeping the pen moving and writing whatever comes to mind.
We are happy to provide scribes or adaptive technology for participants who cannot comfortably hold a pen.
Sharing & Feedback
After freewriting, residents can read their work aloud. They are always allowed to pass. We only allow positive, specific feedback in our programs.
We can provide adaptive equipment for those who are hard of hearing, or we can work with you if you have technology that you prefer to use.
Reading & Discussion
Depending on your assisted living community’s needs, we can bring in inspirational poetry or prose for people to read and discuss together.
Revision
Offered in Writing Groups only
We guide participants through revision exercises that allow them to look at their writing in new ways.
*What’s Freewriting?
Freewriting is a tried-and-true writing method developed almost 100 years ago in universities. It has become a tool often used to overcome “writer’s block” and as a way to “warm up” in preparation for putting thoughts to paper.
In freewriting, spelling and grammar do not matter, and writers are encouraged to keep their pens moving the entire time. If they run out of things to say, they are encouraged to continue writing anyway, even if it’s just to write about how they don’t have anything to write. Writers are encouraged to let their mind wander and to write about whatever strikes them at that moment.
Additional Program Elements for Assisted Living
Between Session Support
Each participant will receive a handwritten, mailed postcard after each session. The facilitator writes personalized postcards to each participant, sharing encouraging thoughts about patients’ writing. If it would work better for you, we are happy to send them as a batch to your office for distribution.
Publication
Offered in Writing Groups only
Every participant in a writing group is eligible to have one piece published in that season’s anthology. Participants choose how they’d like their name to appear in the book — whether a pseudonym, initials, etc.
Reading & Book Launch
Offered in Writing Groups only
Every participant in a writing group may attend a celebratory reading and book launch at the end of the season. However, if it isn’t realistic for your residents to come to our reading, we would be happy to customize a celebration at your assisted living facility.
Testimonials
We love Write Around Portland at Whitewood Gardens. We are a small retirement community in southeast Portland. The writing workshops give our residents the opportunity to express themselves in a group setting, reminiscing about their lives and getting to know their fellow residents at a deeper level. There is always lots of sharing and laughter in these workshops, and the participants all becoming published authors at the end of each workshop is the icing on the cake!
Chris, Whitewood Gardens
This workshop allows people to be creative, it stimulates their intellect, and builds their character. It also gives them something to look forward to on the weekends.
Ruth, Laurelhurst Village
Getting Started
For any questions, contact Sarah!
Sarah Weller, Program Director
sweller@writearound.org
503-796-9224