50+ Lifestyles

Celebrating the people we are meant to be during Older Americans Month

… you can find yourself again at CASI.
Come as you are and become
who you were always meant to be.

By Laura L. Kopp, MS
CASI President/CEO

David Bowie once said, “Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.”  As I write this, I am one day into my 51st year on this earth.  My kids have grown into the most talented and compassionate humans a mom could wish for, my dad is living his best life, my brother, whom I care for in multiple ways, has grown into his own independence. My husband and I are harvesting the fruits of our labors with careers we both love. Having accomplished what I believe to be much as a mother, a daughter, a sister and a wife, why then have I been so hard pressed to answer the question of, “Who am I?” and “What do I enjoy?”

I’ve reflected frequently on this sense of identity loss as our kids have “flown the nest” and my mode of mothering has become more remote and “upon request” rather than an everyday influence.  This sense of floundering or meandering back to my own self reminds me of why the activities and services at CASI are so important.  Because they allow us, as seasoned adults, to reconnect with the parts of ourselves that may have laid dormant for decades as we focused on building our careers, raising our families, and caring for our community. At CASI, there are literally thousands of activities that allow us to reignite our passions, spark old curiosities and discover new wonders about ourselves and the diverse world around us.

In a very literal sense, CASI reintroduces and reconnects us with that often-forgotten part of our selves that is our “self” in its truest form. The voice that sings inside us when we are doing something for ourselves. Something we enjoy selfishly and without restraint simply because it makes us feel good. For some that is exercise, for others that is art and for still others that is the connection and camaraderie found in group activities at the CASI center.

This month we celebrate Older Americans Month and the depth of untapped potential waiting to be rediscovered.  Whether it’s rebuilding muscles through exercise, reigniting creativity through art, or rebuilding connections with others, you can find yourself again at CASI.  Come as you are and become who you were always meant to be.

Never letting an important occasion like Older Americans Month pass by without a celebration, CASI and our co-host Oak Street Health, invite you to join us for an afternoon Celebration of Older Americans on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at CASI (1035 W. Kimberly Road, Davenport, IA  52806) from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.  There is no cost for this event, but reservations are requested by calling CASI at 563.386.7477 or stopping by the front desk by Friday, May 17.  There will be informative conversations with representatives of The Putnam Museum and The Hauberg Center as well as an opportunity to share personal reflections.   Refreshments will be served.

Laura L. Kopp, MS is President/CEO of CASI, located at 1035 W. Kimberly Road, Davenport, IA  52806. For information call (563) 386.7477 or email info@CASIseniors.org.