From art studios and coffee tastings to science talks and storytelling, Clearwater Living communities make learning a way of life. Residents and Lifestyle Directors co-create experiences that spark curiosity, conversation, and confidence.
A day of learning across Clearwater
On any given morning, notebooks open in Torrance as a personal growth class begins with a short lesson and a circle of thoughtful questions. Up the coast in Oxnard, tasting glasses catch the light while neighbors compare aromas and talk about terroir. In Phoenix, a slinky stretches across a table as resident presenter Marc Sbar turns a simple toy into a model of seismic waves. In Gilbert, paintbrushes tap, mistakes are welcomed, and beginners quietly realize they are not beginners anymore.
These are the rhythms of Empowered Living®. Our Lifestyle Directors design inclusive programs and our residents bring them to life by leading sessions, sharing expertise, and showing up for one another. The result is a community where learning feels social, purposeful, and deeply personal.
What lifelong learning means here
At Clearwater, learning is more than a calendar line. It is:
- Resident-centered. Interests from within the community inspire topics and leaders.
- Co-created. Lifestyle Directors guide the experience while residents sometimes teach, occasionally mentor, and often participate.
- Accessible. No experience necessary and materials provided so everyone can join.
- Holistic. Activities align to the dimensions of wellness and support mind, body, and spirit.
Torrance and Newport Beach: Personal growth and the perfect cup
Communities: Clearwater at South Bay in Torrance, CA and Clearwater Newport Beach in Newport Beach, CA.
Kat O’Brien, Lifestyle Director at South Bay, brings creativity and energy to every program, inspiring residents to embrace lifelong learning.
On Tuesday afternoons in South Bay, lifestyle director Kat O’Brien spreads a short article across the table and passes around a stack of simple worksheets. The topic might be Science of Gratitude or Building Adult Friendships, but the cadence is familiar: a spark of research, a circle of conversation, then a quiet moment to capture thoughts in a take‑home journal. Resident Sonia B. shared that the class “gives us a chance to learn new things and dive into our feelings together in ways we would not have done on our own,” while Emma P. admitted that gratitude practice nudges her to notice “the people around us, the things we have, and how lucky we are.” The prompts are gentle, the insights often profound, and residents tuck the pages into their notebooks to revisit later.
A quiet moment of practice at Clearwater at South Bay as a resident completes her gratitude journal during a personal growth session.
Kat also teams up with residents to create hands-on learning. With Frank Amato at Newport Beach, she co-led a program called “The Best Cup of Coffee You Have Ever Had.” A stubborn machine could have spoiled the morning. Instead, it turned into an experiment in beans, grind, and patience while Frank shared insights from years of brewing. The laughter that followed tasted as good as the coffee.
Coffee, conversation, and a little alchemy with resident expert Frank Amato.
Next on Kat’s calendar is an art therapy series that blends creativity and calm to give residents practical tools for stress relief and self-expression.
Phoenix: Science and storytelling with Marc Sbar
Community: Clearwater Mayo Blvd in Phoenix, AZ.
Marc Sbar, Clearwater resident and geophysicist, hosts popular plate tectonics talks and Memory Support storytelling at Clearwater Mayo Blvd.
A geophysicist by training and teacher at heart, resident Marc Sbar brings history, humor, and humanity to community life. His weekly storytelling sessions in Memory Support are rich with visuals, personal anecdotes, and encouragement. Marc also helps lead sing-alongs and serves as Chairman of the Activity Committee, shaping ideas for excursions and educational programs across Independent Living and Assisted Living.
At Clearwater Mayo Blvd, resident Marc Sbar leads engaging sessions like 'Our Dynamic Earth,' making learning hands-on and welcoming. These gatherings spark conversation and inspire neighbors to explore together.
One of his most popular talks is Our Dynamic Earth: Plate Tectonics. Using slides, rock samples, and yes, those slinkies, Marc makes complex science approachable for all ages.
Gilbert: Beginners become artists
Community: Clearwater Agritopia in Gilbert, AZ.
Where beginners feel at home and artists return: weekly acrylics at Clearwater Agritopia.
Weekly acrylic classes in the light filled art studio welcome first timers and returning artists, with Lifestyle Director Sergio Rimola supporting the program. Resident Sammie McCormack remembers walking in with curiosity and no experience.
I started with our instructor’s sketches and samples. Week after week I practiced until I felt confident sketching and painting on my own. Two years later I create during my personal time, and I keep learning new techniques.
Clearwater Living resident Sammie McCormack shares her artistic talent through vibrant paintings of nature and coastal scenes, enriching the community with creativity and connection.
Resident Mary Ann O. read the invitation in the activity newsletter.
No experience necessary and all supplies included. I had never painted before moving here and now I attend every week.
The joy is in the process and the progress. Finished pieces range from playful portraits to sunset landscapes, each one a small story of growth.
Through Clearwater Living’s art classes, resident Mary Ann O. is thriving as she learns new techniques and expresses her creativity, reflecting the community’s commitment to lifelong learning.
Oxnard: Wine with wisdom
Community: Clearwater at Riverpark in Oxnard, CA.
A toast to discovery as residents at Clearwater at Riverpark savor the art of wine tasting as part of the community’s immersive approach to lifelong learning.
Every other month, Lifestyle Director Brit Peszko leads wine sessions that pair education with connection. Residents explore varietals, origins, and tasting techniques, then put new knowledge to the test during offsite winery outings.
Wine education, al fresco. Riverpark residents compare notes amid gardens and a rustic red barn.
Resident voices
Susan Miller: “From novice to knowing more about the complexities, origins, and enhancing qualities of the grape, Britt’s wine classes are educational, socially fun, and informative.”
Andrea Gibb: “These classes combine libation and education. I can now discern different flavors when I sip, and I have rediscovered a love for Merlot.”
The classes nourish the mind and body, yet the biggest takeaway is community. The conversation around the table is as layered as the wines.
Clearwater at Riverpark, Oxnard. Residents enjoy an outdoor tasting under the umbrellas, comparing notes and raising a glass.
Lifelong Learning at Clearwater
Lifelong Learning at Clearwater is our everyday promise. Purposeful learning creates connection and keeps minds engaged. Each experience begins simply: a question, a story, a hands-on moment that grows into conversation that lingers. We invite voices from across the community and make room to try, reflect, and try again.
Families notice it in small, meaningful ways:
- More connection through shared interests and conversation
- More purpose in daily routines with something meaningful to practice between classes
- More mental stimulation through hands on activities and thoughtful discussion
- More joy in daily life, because progress is shared together
This is the Clearwater difference. Lifelong Learning at Clearwater fosters curiosity that never stops and helps residents keep learning and thriving as they age.
Ready to join a class
Call your nearest Clearwater community to schedule a tour and ask to join an upcoming class. Our team will help you choose a visit that lets you experience Lifelong Learning and meet residents and the lifestyle director at your community.
Next steps
- Find your nearest community: https://www.clearwaterliving.com/our-communities#/locations
- Call the community to schedule a tour and request to sit in on an upcoming class!