There’s something about a favorite song that can connect us to the past – and to each other. That was the feeling during a recent music program coordinated by AgeSpan at the Andover Housing Authority. Residents of Stowe Court, Chestnut Court, and Grandview Terrace in Andover gathered in the community room to sing along to favorites from Elvis, Frank Sinatra, and Neil Diamond, among others. Performer Bobby Mack kept the energy high, taking requests from the audience and handing the microphone over to participants who knew every word to the songs.
“It was a really wonderful experience, seeing the residents interact with one another,” AgeSpan Resident Service Coordinator Margaret Raso said. “People were taking the mic and singing songs. It allowed them to take a step back and listen to the music they enjoyed, perhaps when they were kids or young adults. It was just a great experience for everyone – including me.”
The program was the first in a series, made possible through two grants of $1,500 each from Andover Senior Community Friends and the Andover Home for Aged People. Raso says the music series is part of a larger schedule of programming that she plans for residents as part of her role.
“A lot is happening here at the Andover Housing Authority,” Raso said. “We run a variety of programs to meet the needs of each individual client.”
Raso’s programming includes monthly blood pressure screenings and mind-body-spirit workshops. She partners with local restaurants and the AgeSpan Traveling Chef program to bring fresh meals directly to residents. She has partnered with the Andover Police Department to host Coffee with a Cop and has also run programs in partnership with the Andover Housing Authority, Council on Aging, and Senior Center.
She says one of her favorite parts of her job with AgeSpan is advocating for residents.
“If the housing authority needs to meet with a tenant, part of my role is to participate in those meetings as an unbiased person,” Raso said. “I will be there to try to provide services or to mediate the situation and provide a neutral space for them. I really do enjoy helping the tenants and the Housing Authority in this way.
As a Resident Service Coordinator, Raso can also connect residents with all of the services AgeSpan provides – everything from homemaking to veterinary referrals through the Power of Pets, to setting them up with tablets through the Digital Access Program.
Whether it’s connecting residents with services, or with each other through programming that brings them together, the goal is to build a stronger, more connected community – one song, one service at a time.
