Partnership Brings The Arts Alive For Brightview Residents

Avila Home Care, serving Anne Arundel County and other parts of Maryland, started Avila Music & Arts Makers two years ago to bring the arts into senior living facilities, including Brightview Senior Living in Severna Park. Whether it’s through entertainment by world-renowned musicians or exceptional artists, residents are enthralled with the opportunities to intimately engage with the arts.

Morgan Gray, associate executive director of hospitality services at Brightview Severna Park, feels the partnership between Brightview and Avila Home Care has been remarkable from the first meeting.

“From the Avila team to the musicians and artists, the programming has been a natural fit,” Gray said. “Everyone interacts with our residents, asks for feedback and what they want to hear and see. Seeing the joy on our residents’ faces are moments we all cherish.”

After hosting a “senior” prom at Loyola Blakefield for residents of a Towson facility in 2023, Gretchen Maneval, director of external affairs for Avila, and her staff witnessed the power of music to trigger memories and create relationships that make new memories.

Starting with her personal connection to musicians at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maneval developed Avila Music Makers programming. Professional musicians based in the area visit senior living facilities and perform for residents, family members and guests. Performances are scheduled during the musicians’ “downtime” when they are not on tour and include vocalists and spoken-word artists.

“We have such vibrant jazz and classical music communities right here in our area, filled with performers wanting to give back to their community,” Maneval said. “Performing in small, intimate settings, just 10–20 feet away from an audience, is a completely different experience for both performers and guests than, say, at the Kennedy Center or at Carnegie Hall. The interactions these performances bring are simply breathtaking.”

Award-winning cellist Alicia Ward said performing for Brightview residents is a “special experience.”

“It is wonderful to feel that, as a performer, I can connect with those that I am playing for,” Ward said. “It is a unique experience to see the individuals that I am playing for, which allows for a direct sense of communication when performing. I have great respect for the life experiences of the residents and enjoy speaking with them after the performance.”

That experience is just as rewarding for Brightview residents, according to Gray.

“Our mission is to create relationships and to enrich our residents’ lives every day,” Gray said. “When the Avila Music Makers join us, the engagement they have with our residents is truly inspiring. There are a lot of toes tapping, hands clapping, and they are truly enamored with the musicians and enthralled in that moment. It’s very beautiful to witness.”

Following the success of the Music Makers program, Avila created Avila Art Makers, a traveling art installation that beautifies the walls of the facilities. Some of the artwork is offered for sale to the public during the four-month viewing period. Then the artwork is taken down and taken to another facility, providing fresh pieces on rotation. Many times, the artists offer demonstrations or discussions with residents about their work.

“The artwork by Avila Art Makers displayed on the wall in the hallway holds a particular interest to me as an artist myself,” said LaVerne Eberhardinger, a Brightview Severna Park resident. “The current installation by Carol Morgan, while abstract, reminds me of traditional art and water still life. The art of land and sea inspires onlookers and brings peace to my day.”

Maneval said the Brightview residents are discerning connoisseurs of music and art, and all involved truly understand how special the Avila Music Makers and Avila Art Makers programing is.

“We all benefit from the synergy between Brightview and the arts,” Maneval said. “This is everything we’ve ever hoped for when we brought music and arts into this community, and then some … and more!”

For Gray, the feeling is mutual.

“We hold our programming in the highest regard,” Gray added. “The engagement with our residents is inspiring. It’s a reminder to all of us to live in the moment every day.”