“I like to tell people that I grew up in this parking lot,” Arianna Price said with a smile. Since she was just an infant, Arianna has been coming to the Tucson J, “and from then on, I think I spent every single year until I was 18 here in some capacity.” 

From winter breaks to spring breaks, summer camps to the JCC Maccabi Games, the Tucson J has been a constant presence, weaving through the many chapters of Arianna’s life. 

After high school, Arianna left Tucson, “I went off to college and grad school and eventually med school. But now it’s become our home again.” In 2020, Arianna’s mom, Susan, was diagnosed with dementia. Arianna found herself in Tucson again, trying to find fun and enriching activities to do with her mom.  

Eventually, Arianna said, “it was in one of those days where I just couldn’t think of any more activities for us to do at home, that I was like, ‘the J has to have something.’ I mean, they’ve had something for everything my whole life.” 

Arianna discovered the J’s Healthy Aging programs, and specifically the Movement/Arts Immersion Group, a program for older adults in the early or mild stages of dementia to socialize and find community. Susan, accompanied by Arianna, now comes to the group multiple times a week.  

“Social connection is one of the most important things for human health. And I can’t emphasize enough how much we went from being isolated during the pandemic and then us trying to figure out our new needs and our new activities and daily schedules to being at a place that provided that all for us. It’s given so much relief. It’s allowed us to know that I can go back to some of my commitments in life, and this will still be here. And my mom will still be getting the same level of care that we’ve been providing at home. It’s been like an exhale for our family.” 

Through the Movement/Arts Immersion Group, Arianna and Susan have not only found enrichment but true community. “Our family has gotten close with the other families. We had a Friendsgiving at our house for everybody in the group.” 

Arianna shared that her mom enjoys the water aerobics classes, which are offered in the same pool where she learned how to swim. “I think that the J has become a place that grows with you, and our family is very demonstrative of that. It’s met the needs of our family from 30 years ago when I was born to now.” 

“The J has always been my second home, and it continues to be,” said Arianna. “I can only imagine that whatever our next steps after this one, in 30 more years, we’ll be able to find a home for us here as well.”