In the latest episode of the Live United podcast, Eileen Ryan Bradshaw, president and CEO of LIFE Senior Services, shares her organization’s transformative initiatives for seniors in Tulsa. From the innovative Roma Berry Center for Seniors to the award-winning Vintage Magazine and the upcoming Celebrate LIFE Gala, Eileen highlights how LIFE Senior Services is enriching the lives of older adults and caregivers in the community.
A Vision Realized: The Roma Berry Center
One of the most impactful projects under Eileen’s leadership is the Roma Berry Center for Seniors, a facility designed to unite LIFE Senior Services’ key programs under one roof.
“When I arrived at LIFE Senior Services, the leadership team took me on a tour of some of the facilities and really articulated the need for a more synergized campus to co-locate some of these programs,” Eileen said. “I was just, my head was still spinning so I was like, ‘Well, this is really interesting, but let’s think about that a little bit.’”
The pandemic allowed her team the time to strategize. “We saw this property become available … it’s nine and a half acres and a 39,000-square-foot former school building,” she said. “We wouldn’t have done it if we didn’t believe that it would have improved our ability to serve seniors. But I sit here before you to tell you it wildly exceeded the expectations even that we had when we started that campaign.”
Eileen shared the center’s vibrant atmosphere, saying, “I go into the senior center any given day, and there are people that arrive at eight o’clock … Some of them are there to take a class, some of them are there to play pickleball, some of them are there just to hang out and drink coffee and play mahjong or puzzles. I was talking with one woman yesterday, and she was all smiles and said, ‘You know, this place gives me purpose. I get up in the morning. I have a place to go.’”
The Roma Berry Center also integrates caregiving services. “If you are a caregiver and you are responsible for caring for, in some cases, a spouse, some cases a parent, to be able to drive together, drop off at the adult day health … then come on over to the senior center and relax … It really does make a difference.”
Honoring Roma Berry’s Legacy
The center’s name reflects a touching tribute. “Ruth Nelson gave us the whole purchase price for this property,” Eileen explained. “She was a very modest person and didn’t want it named for herself. One day during the pandemic, she called and said, ‘I’ve got it. I know what I want to call it: Roma Berry.’
Roma Berry was her parents’ first friend when they immigrated to the United States, a schoolteacher, and a lifelong family friend. Ruth felt it was particularly fitting to honor her in this way.
Vintage Magazine: A Community Treasure
Eileen also discussed Vintage Magazine, LIFE Senior Services’ free monthly publication. “It hits over 30,000 households every month,” she said. “We tackle everything from caregivers’ needs to senior trends … In this month’s issue, we’re tackling online dating for the first time. Safe ways for seniors to date online, and we’re supporting that with a class.”
She noted the magazine’s broad appeal. “I had gotten Vintage Magazine for years … but I didn’t realize how many people read it. I literally will be in the grocery store, and people I don’t know will come up and tell me what article they liked.”
Celebrate LIFE Gala: “Thank Our Lucky Stars”
Looking ahead, the annual Celebrate LIFE Gala, themed “Thank Our Lucky Stars,” will take place on June 13, 2025. “It’s on Friday the 13th, so we were trying to counteract that superstition,” Eileen laughed. “It’ll be fun. We have a great band, The Wavetones, and people really want to dance. It’s not just rubber chicken; it’s a good time.”