Linda Revilla, Author at ACC Senior Services

ACC Hosts Sacramento Community Forums

Linda Revilla — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 13:43:25 +0000

If you could wave a magic wand, what would you wish for seniors in California?

While your wish may not come true immediately, it could work its way into the California Master Plan for Aging.

Governor Gavin Newsom is the driving force behind the Master Plan, to be delivered later this year. ACC President/CEO Darrick Lam is one of 34 professionals appointed to the Master Plan for Aging Stakeholder Advisory Committee (read story). Assisted by ACC Program Director Linda Revilla and Census Coordinator Poonie Holst, Darrick has held four “Sacramento Community Forums” since January.

At the Forums, community members share their ideas on what they would like to see included in the Master Plan. More Forums are being scheduled throughout Sacramento County.

35 community members participated in the session held at ACC Greenhaven Terrace.

Audience members of each Forum have given many different suggestions for the Master Plan. Reliable, integrated, ADA accessible public transportation is a popular suggestion. Affordable assistance in the home is an item that comes up often. Participants talk about the need for someone to help them do small chores, like changing ceiling lightbulbs or taking out the trash. People caring for an elderly loved one, or grandchildren, say they need information and assistance. And affordable housing has been brought up in each Forum. The need for more community resources is another frequently mentioned comment. Multigenerational programs and community education about the aging process, age-ism, and other senior-focused topics have been discussed.

One of the most intriguing suggestions is that there should be a “senior channel” on TV that would give information about resources and with programming geared toward senior interests.

Poonie Holst ends the presentations by addressing the need for everyone to participate in Census 2020, as much of the federal funding for social services and resources is allocated based on Census data.

To share your ideas at the Sacramento Community Forums, call ACC at (916) 393-9026 to find out when the next Forums will take place. Or submit your suggestions on the official website www.engageca.org.

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Japanese Flower Arranging at ACC

Linda Revilla — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 19:37:53 +0000

Imagine being able to create a beautiful flower arrangement. At ACC you can learn the art of ikebana (Japanese flower arranging) with Chieko Hirai-Brim. Chieko says that ikebana is not just the art the Japanese flower arranging; it is also a great stress reducer. “You can really relax while you are doing it. You can put your emotions, how you feel, into your arrangement.”

Chieko, who was born in Japan, started doing Ikebana in high school. At first, she was not interested at all and only learned ikebana because it was a requirement. “But after a couple of classes, I loved it!” she says, continuing, “I got an ikebana instructor license in Japan. In 1996 I came to the US. It was my biggest dream to teach ikebana in the US.”

Chieko has to continue learning new skills and so found an instructor. Her instructor said she should contact ACC about teaching. That was back in 2015 and Chieko’s class at ACC has been steadily growing. She also teaches at the Buddhist Church of Sacramento

There are many different schools of Ikebana, each with different styles. Chieko teaches Ikenobo, the oldest school of Ikebana. In her class, she teaches shoka (based on natural styles) and freestyle.

Volunteer and ACC Board member Jean Shiomoto has been Chieko’s student since the spring of this year. Jean says, “It’s fun and relaxing, and I’m learning a lot. Before I took this class, I didn’t know anything, and now I know the forms and elements of an arrangement.”

When I spoke to her, Jean had her latest creation in front of her, a beautiful array of lavender chrysanthemums, ferns, and leaves. So, if you are thinking of getting in touch with your creative side in 2020, consider the art of ikebana.

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The Faces of Lifelong Learning

Linda Revilla — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 00:10:22 +0000

Mike Oyama has had many different occupations during his work career. He drove trucks for a while, cooked in restaurants in Waikiki and on Maui, and retired from the UC Davis Primate Center after more than 20 years. A constant in his life, however, has been music.

Rhonda Halushka grew up in San Francisco’s Richmond district surrounded by Asian kids. She fell in love with Japanese culture and moved to Japan after college to teach English. She learned weaving, dyeing, Kimono making, book binding, and how to conduct a tea ceremony. And she learned how to speak Japanese.

Mike and Rhonda are different in many ways, but there’s one thing they have in common — ACC Senior Services.

After retiring in 2014, Mike says he was “floating” for a few months. “Then I got the ACC News in the mail and noticed all of the things going on.” Mike’s first class with ACC was acrylic painting with Zimei. He also learned calligraphy and took many wellness workshops with Jan Polin. Then he joined the Folk Guitar Club. After a few months, he started focusing his energy into music. He started taking an ukulele class with Loretta Lew, and joined the Pocket Pickers. He also joined the ACC Show Stoppers choir.

Rhonda took a different path. She became a school teacher and spent the last 17 years teaching science at James Rutter Middleschool in South Sacramento. Her mother died of Alzheimers, so when Rhonda retired, she made a conscious choice to keep her brain and body active. She wanted to relearn Japanese which she had not used for decades. A friend recommended ACC, and she never stopped going. “I took teacher Nora’s Japanese class as a refresher and, wow, it all came back. As a retiree, I had time to pursue new things, and that’s what ACC offered. In fact, the only reason why I remain in Sacramento is because of ACC.”

On Wednesday, Rhonda volunteers for Meals on Wheels by ACC at the Japanese United Methodist Church. “I see these women there who are so vibrant and active in their 80s and 90.” At the end of her shift she records around 8,000 steps on her Fitbit.

At age 67, Mike Oyama gets around too. He joined other music groups in the community including the Chinese Community Church Ukulele Fellowship, Ohana Dance Group, and the Fremont Presbyterian Church choir.

Mike likes coming to ACC because, “everybody is friendly and you learn a lot of things. I have made a lot of friends here.

At 66, Rhonda describes this phase of her life as a “rebirth.” She says, “I’ve always been a curious person. Now I have time to do anything I want to do. I can travel, take classes, start new hobbies. It’s the best time of my life.”

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