Afi Scruggs has described herself as a Renaissance woman. She is a bass player, a Ph.D. in Slavic languages, a journalist in the Cleveland Press Club’s Hall of Fame – and now an educator intent on redefining what it means to age gracefully in Cleveland. 

“We’re such a youth-oriented society,” Scruggs said recently during an interview. “You get to a certain age and, you know, ‘OK, Boomer’… a lot of really kind of patronizing, almost insulting attitudes.” 

“We’re living longer, so I’m like, ‘OK, Boomer, you’re gonna live to 90 just like I probably will. What are you gonna do when you get to 65?’” she laughed.  

Scruggs leads the Creative Aging department at The Music Settlement, a non-profit that supports people of all ages with music education and programming. Her department focuses on programs that cater to seniors. Though the adult programs accept participants 18 and up, most happen during the day when younger generations are at school or work but seniors can more easily attend. 

“We just take adult interest into consideration and we target that,” Scruggs said, “but in terms of just love of music, I think that … unites everybody who comes here.”

The Music Settlement's adult orchestra

What’s offered

Seniors who already have some experience playing instruments are invited to participate in groups such as an adult orchestra, an “old-time jam” with banjos, violins and other stringed instruments, or two different flute ensembles.     

The Music Settlement's Old Time Jam
The Music Settlement’s Old Time Jam

Scruggs said she directs participants who don’t already play instruments to inquire about taking private lessons. She said the Settlement Singers is also a good place to start.

The Settlement Singers is a choir that caters to older individuals and doesn’t require prior music experience. Each Settlement Singers program lasts 15 weeks and ends with a performance for family, friends and the community.   

Playing, reading and memorizing music, “all of that is brain health,” said Scruggs. 

‘They think all we want to do is play bingo’

Scruggs said she did a lot of research on what other organizations around the country were doing for older adults. “The big thing that I kept on running up against,” she said, “was community, community, community, community, and just opportunities for people to be with their age group in a way that’s not patronizing or demeaning.” 

Listen in as Scruggs explains the importance of community in aging and speaks to breaking stereotypes of the interests of older adults, accompanied by the Settlement Singers: 

The Music Settlement also has departments for Early Childhood and Music Therapy. Seniors who have dementia get their programming specifically through the music therapy department. For more information on Creative Aging and other programming, visit The Music Settlement’s website or call 216-421-5806 x102.    

Reporter/Audio Producer (she/her)
I create audio stories meant to engage and inform people in a way that pushes beyond media stereotypes. I aim to build trust between local media and the community, striving to teach people “how” to think about life in Cleveland, not “what” to think.