Concord Quarterly Meeting of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting consists of 8 Meetings: Birmingham, Concord, Goshen, Middletown, West Chester, Westtown, Willistown and Wilmington. Included in Concord’s October 2016 newsletter was an article authored by Pam Leland, the executive director of The Hickman who wrote about the New York Yearly Meeting program – ARCH (Aging, Resources, Consultation, Help). The article inspired members of Concord Quarterly Meeting to create their own group meeting around mutual interest in aging issues. The initial group of 11 began meeting in May of 2017. By June of 2017, the group was led by their first Clerk, Rich Ailes and officially became known as the Concord Quarter Working Group on Aging. [Read more…] about Concord Quarter Working Group Offers Resources and Support for Aging Friends
Brighten Your Day
Friends of Barnegat Monthly Meeting Send Holiday Cards and Share Cheer
It’s a holiday tradition for members and guests of Barnegat Monthly Meeting of Friends to write messages on greeting cards. [Read more…] about Friends of Barnegat Monthly Meeting Send Holiday Cards and Share Cheer
Quaker Spotlight: A Woman of Note
As we began our interview with Demie Kurz, a long-time member of the Religious Society of Friends and retired professor of Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, who also co-directed the Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies program, we were immediately impressed with her flow of conversation and emphasis on the history of Quaker women. Nowadays, Demie Kurz spends her time in retirement writing a book on parenting, written from a sociological perspective. This is her story. [Read more…] about Quaker Spotlight: A Woman of Note
History & Vision of Quaker Aging Resources
PYM’s Aging Support Coordinator, Sheila Sorkin, invites you to participate in an important survey on the Quaker Aging Resources website. The vision for this project may still hold true; however, we will value your input in discerning the future of this valuable website.
New York and Philadelphia Yearly Meetings of Friends (Quakers), through generous funding from Friends Foundation for the Aging and the Thomas Scattergood Foundation, collaborated to develop Quaker Aging Resources (QAR). The project was designed over 13 years ago to assist Meetings and individuals in responding to the needs of aging Friends including age related changes, chronic illness or disability. The resources are intended to uphold a culture of care for the body, mind, spirit and community of the individual, which is consistent with our Quaker faith, and address the following needs: [Read more…] about History & Vision of Quaker Aging Resources
A Friend, A Life, & Spirituality
The more you get to know Alex Morisey, the more you become aware you are speaking with a spiritual giant. His path has woven through so much of our world of faith and through the lives of so many Friends that he has become part of the fabric of the Religious Society of Friends. Key to Alex’s approach to his spirituality is his intuitive connection with the world and people around him. Not inclined to regale listeners with his many noteworthy accomplishments, Alex seems happier sharing how he finds himself in the natural world that surrounds him and how valuable people of all walks of life are to him. As an avid writer, Alex loves to write essays that explore the meaning of all this, the meaning of his life and his faith. Alex is a member of the Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. [Read more…] about A Friend, A Life, & Spirituality
A Friend, A Mission, A Life To Share
After hearing about Fred Melroy and his prolific work in the Quaker community for some time, at long last, I had the chance to meet with him for a conversation. Wanting not only to understand his role as Clerk for the Greenleaf Granting Group, but also what makes him tick, I asked him several questions about his faith. But the more I pushed, the more he talked about his work, until at last it became clear to me that for Fred, serving is at the very center of his beliefs. That is not to say he is some kind of uninspiring automaton—quite the opposite. When Fred speaks about his work, he welcomes you in with his no-nonsense humility and leaves you feeling that so long as there are people who love to serve and who love the people they serve as much as he does, there is a bright future ahead. [Read more…] about A Friend, A Mission, A Life To Share
Friends Village – A Focus on Wellness
Friends Village in Newtown, PA shared the resident programs accomplished through the 2021 Aging Assistance Granting Group’s Block Grant from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. Sheila Sorkin, Aging Support Coordinator, met by Zoom with their with Executive Director, Chiyo Moriuchi, and the Friends Village management team to review their exciting programs. A core component of the Friends Village model is a focus on wellness. As we age, the advantage of gaining insight into relaxation and skills in balance will assist in reducing health risks. [Read more…] about Friends Village – A Focus on Wellness
Barclay Friends Share a Cyber Security Event
On April 27th, Barclay Friends presented on Cyber Crime, Scams and Seniors. Sean Tomlinson informed Sheila Sorkin, PYM Aging Support Coordinator that Barclay Friends are happy to provide resources like this and make them available to the public. [Read more…] about Barclay Friends Share a Cyber Security Event
Performance Arts at Friends Home in Kennett
Friends Home in Kennett has made a commitment to serving Friends with care and enabling relationships to grow. Through a creative program of Performing Arts, their staff has created an enriching opportunity for their residents to reach others’ hearts through music. Last year, the PYM Aging Assistance Granting Group (AAGG) awarded Friends Home in Kennett a grant to be used by their activities staff for their needs. In this article, Wright Horne reports on the activities, thoughts behind their programming, and the residents’ responses. [Read more…] about Performance Arts at Friends Home in Kennett
iPad Grant Enriches Residents’ Lives
The past couple of years revealed the importance of connecting with others to reduce social isolation. A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) noted that more than one third of adults over 45 feel lonely and nearly one quarter of adults over 65 are thought to experience social isolation. Staff in long term care communities began using technology such as teaching residents how to utilize items such as an iPad which brought opportunities for residents to connect with friends and family
