Fall into school

It’s time for in-person and online classes for seniors

By Donna Williams Lewis

Want to brush up on your Italian, learn about “Poems that get you in the End,” explore phobias or learn how to edit a video in iMovie?

Those courses are on the September schedule for Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Emory University, one of the nonprofit educational programs for seniors that dot metro Atlanta.

Forced to go online last fall by the pandemic, most of these educational programs are now offering courses in-person as well as online. Nearly all of their presenters are volunteers, typically retirees who enjoy sharing their interests with others.

One of them, Howard Cohen, became an OLLI instructor after taking classes there.

“I cannot tell you how important OLLI is to so many of the students who come and many of the same people have been coming for year after year after year,” he said. “They’ve gotten to know one another, they depend on one another, they socialize with one another, they have lunch together, and it’s a vital necessity, almost, in a lot of these people’s lives to spend two or three hours together with like-minded people, share some ideas and make friends.”

Atlanta Senior Life asked Cohen and a couple of other senior class instructors to share who they are and why they do what they do.

Howard Cohen, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Emory University: ‘The Glories of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’

“It’s a great almost honor, really, to teach people 55 and older … who all are there just for the pure enjoyment of intellectual pursuit.”

Take a class with Howard Cohen, 79, and you may be virtually touring an art museum, taking a deep dive into the history of American music, or virtually visiting one of the many “fascinating Latin American cities” and foreign countries he’s come to know well. His current class is “The Glories of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.”

For more than 10 years, the Candler Park resident has taken his passions for music, art and travel and whipped them up into a variety of experiential classes for the OLLI program at Emory University.

“I always integrate music with class content,” Cohen said.

“I love preparing for my classes because it allows me to learn new things.”

The Brooklyn native first came to Atlanta in 1971 to work with an anti-Vietnam War group. He later taught sixth-graders at The American School in Rio de Janeiro for four years.

Back in Atlanta, he managed the Rizzoli International Book and Record store at the Omni complex (now the CNN Center) and, later, with his wife, owned the International Records store at Peachtree Center.

“We were very fortunate. We opened just as CDs were becoming popular. We closed the store when CDs were out, so we caught that huge market,” he said.

“I love to keep my mind going, so after we retired I took a course at OLLI and I knew right away I’d love to teach here,” Cohen said. “I go to OLLI to get that wonderful feeling of community.”

Kate Posey, Enrichment of Life Movement (ELM): ‘Beginning Acrylics (Painting)’

“You get into these classrooms and people are so excited to be able to create something.” continued on page 12

TOGETHER WE THRIVE.

Connection is key to a longer and more vibrant life, and powers everything WE do at The Piedmont at Buckhead senior living community. It’s like being part of a super supportive family of waiters, chefs, housekeepers, ZEST® activity coaches, care & wellness teams, and even a bunch of really friendly and fun neighbors, all helping you thrive. Experience the Power of WE at The Piedmont at Buckhead.

Thursday, October 7th • 11:30am

Join living and the services safeguards offered, along with a tour of our beautiful community. Afterwards, enjoy a lunch especially prepared by our executive chef & culinary team. Seating is limited. To make a reservation, please call 404.369.7523 .

Kate Posey, 77, grew up as one of 12 children — six boys and six girls — in her family in Niagara Falls, NY. “You learned responsibility very early,” she said.

She worked for 40 years in nursing in New York and Georgia before retiring from a neonatal ICU unit at Kennestone Hospital in Marietta 11 years ago.

Throughout those years, the Kingston, Ga. resident always enjoyed art shows and drawing but didn’t get into painting until she started taking