Seniors Find Their Voices Through Creative Writing

At the Valley Storefront Senior Center, the Creative Writing class has quickly become a powerful community of storytellers within JFSLA’s Art, Wellness, and Engagement (AWE) Program. In less than a year, it has grown from a small group of beginners into a thriving workshop where participants explore memoir, short stories, fiction, and even screenwriting.

In a time when funding for senior programs is increasingly limited, this class offers an essential space for older adults to stay engaged, develop new skills, and maintain meaningful social connections.

Guided by instructor Jonathan Barrick Griffiths—also known as Bear, a music copyist, orchestrator, writer, and longtime arranger for Barry Manilow—each session introduces a new topic followed by writing exercises that spark creativity and deeper thinking. The impact extends beyond the classroom, as participants continue developing projects, such as novels and family histories, on their own time.

“The class is a supportive, family-like environment that encourages positive storytelling and personal growth,” says Jonathan. “It helps some participants strengthen their memory and gives them both a place to go and a sense of purpose. Some are writing about deep life experiences, while others focus on lighter, more playful stories.”

Shayna, one of the class participants, is a survivor of domestic violence. Through JFS Hope, JFSLA’s domestic violence program, she found the support she needed to heal, rebuild her independence, and ultimately discover a greater purpose in the Creative Writing class.

With encouragement from her counselor and guidance from Jonathan, she began working on a novel inspired by her own story, one that reflects the courage it took to leave an abusive relationship and her journey toward self-love. Writing is not easy for Shayna; it stirs painful memories and sometimes moves her to tears. With steady encouragement, she has gained confidence and skill, learning not only grammar and structure but also how to use writing as a tool for inspiration and healing.

“I hope my book encourages other women navigating domestic violence to find a path to safety and healing,” she said. For Shayna, the class has been both therapeutic and transformative: “JFSLA saved my life and gave me purpose.”

Another participant, Carole Roth, has discovered that writing allows her to preserve her family’s extraordinary history. A Holocaust survivor raised in hiding by rescuers in France, Carole now documents her childhood experiences and family stories with the same care with which she remembers them. With Jonathan’s guidance, she has refined her ability to condense stories while still honoring their emotional depth. Although revisiting these memories can be difficult, she is grateful for the camaraderie she has found in the class, which encourages and supports her. She hopes her writings will one day be published so that her father’s bravery and her rescuers’ compassion are never forgotten.

“The class is supportive and communal. We help each other rather than judge each other,” said Carole. “We are like a family.”

Other participants simply come for the love of writing. Matthew Fishman, a professional screenwriter, who has known Jonathan for nearly 40 years, credits the class with helping him refine his craft and strip away old habits. He compares this class to the rigor of his film school education decades ago.

“I think what Bear does so incredibly well is take each person’s unique situation and help them expand the most important parts of themselves into their writing,” said Matthew. “He provides guidance and structure, and that is truly precious.”

For Valley Storefront Activity Coordinator Chris Tafralian, the Creative Writing class is one of the most impactful programs offered through the AWE Program. When she first started the class nearly a year ago, teaching the initial seven sessions using materials from an online creative writing course she purchased, she could never have imagined the impact the class would make. As participants requested more classes, she brought in Jonathan as a professional instructor to expand the program.

 “It’s really important as we age to continue learning and stimulating our brains,” Chris said. “This class gives seniors self-confidence, self-worth, and a way to make sense of their lives. In a world where older adults are often dismissed as irrelevant, this gives them a way to express themselves and leave something behind—especially at a time when programs like this face possible funding challenges.”

The Valley Storefront writing class is more than an activity. It is a lifeline, a classroom, and a community. From novels of survival to family histories and screenplays, participants are showing that creativity does not fade with age. For many, it is only beginning to flourish.