“A world where aging joyfully and connected in the presence of dementia is possible,” has been Ila Schepisi’s vision since the beginning. Effective Friday, Ila Schepisi, the current director for the Engagement Center for Creative Aging, will be leaving the position with Jo Culligan to be named interim director.
The Engagement Center for Creative Aging provides innovative community services for families aging in place while enhancing the education of future healthcare professionals. While some may not encounter the center tucked away in Wallace Hall, it serves hundreds of families in the New River Valley and provides numerous services throughout the year.
Since Ila joined ECCA, strategic growth and expansion have been the focus; maximizing the potential outreach and using the resources at hand. Ila worked her way up from a part-time position to a senior instructor of ADS, co-creator of Memory Masterclass, director since 2012 and more. Throughout her years and commitment, she developed the program, which was solely Adult Day Services at Virginia Tech, to a now multi-faceted organization that reaches a broader audience with a variety of services.
Three programs can be found within the Engagement Center for Creative Aging. Adult Day Services (ADS) has been around since 1992, supplying therapeutic programming that includes personal care, meals, activities, dementia care, rehabilitation assistance and health monitoring. ADS is for those who wish to age in place while navigating dementia and giving caregivers the opportunity for time away.
“Helping people find hope in the midst of something they feel is very tragic and giving them quality of life and some peace is probably one of the most special things you can experience,” Schepisi said.
Caregiver Wellness is another branch of ECCA. It provides support for caregivers and/or care partners through caregiver support group meetings and The Beat Goes On, a community choir project. This program delivers an outlet which caregivers can share the highs and lows of dementia caregiving. Engaging Aging is the third leg of ECCA, that delivers the Memory Masterclass, which targets people who are 55 and older interested in maximizing their brain health. It is a 6-week course where attendees learn more about research on memory impairments, building brain connections, implementing lifestyle strategies that impact brain health, and connecting with others in the community with similar concerns.
“[ECCA is] is progressive process where we meet [participants] for socialization and education at the beginning, but then we walk alongside them as things change and provide them the support they need. If someone develops dementia or begins caregiving for somebody with dementia then we are there for that part of the journey, too,” Schepisi said.
The interim director, Jo Culligan, has been with ECCA since 2018 and is the Therapeutic Program Manager at ADS, runs the IMAGINE lab research team, directs the intergenerational community choir and more. She shares similar visions and goals of ECCA’s future after working with Ila for more than six years. She inserts a high degree of intentionality in every interaction with participants, students, or staff that helps them feel safe stepping out of their comfort zones for navigating the dementia journey. Jo references the dedicated staff, the uniqueness of humans, the center’s priority to teach, and, ultimately, the participants as to what makes ECCA so special.
“One of the main things I am excited about – most interested in – is creating more opportunities for ECCA to be at the forefront of people’s minds. One of the ways that happens is through creative collaboration,” Culligan said. ECCA’s creative collaboration can be seen through working together with programs that offer similar services, participating with various organizations affiliated with Virginia Tech, and more.
Outside Wallace 102, the community can find Jo’s high quality and innovative work highlighted on VT News, at the Torpedo Factory’s Target Gallery in Alexandria during Fall 2023, in collaboration with ICAT through music and neuro research, and the Spring 2024 Triennial exhibit at the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech in collaboration with the School of Visual Arts.
ECCA will continue focusing on non-pharmacological relief and emphasizing the importance of connection within engagement.
“I am so excited to see ECCA blossom into something really tremendous and great. We’ve set the groundwork and foundation really so there aren’t any bounds,” Schepisi said.
A national search will be conducted in August to fill the position.
