Health care reform is a hot topic this summer with debates and demonstrations around the country. Regina Holliday is speaking her part by traveling around Washington, D.C. painting murals to illustrate the need for health care reform after witnessing the downfalls of the system while her husband spent a significant amount of time in the hospital. An interesting video showcasing the Medical Advocacy Mural Project can be found here.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Call for Proposals - National Conference on Positive Aging
The National Conference on Positive Aging will be held on December 7-9 at Eckerd College - St. Petersburg, Florida.
The conference is currently requesting proposals for workshop presentations and demonstrations that will follow the keynote address in each theme area:
Life Transitions - The Life Transitions programs are devoted to models, ideas and distinctions about the critical transition triggers and issues for people in the second half of life. Goals of the initiative include: gaining new perspective on the process of making transitions to the second half of life; learn about approaches that track successes in facilitating transitions; make connections between life transitions and various aspects of our lives including wellness, community, and creativity/arts.
Creativity - Creativity is a way for adults later in life to enhance their physical health, enrich relationships and strengthen morale. Creative engagement is also a legacy that older people can leave their children, grandchildren, and society. Goals of the programs presented include: to gain new perspective on the role of creativity in program development for older adults; to learn about successful programs in visual arts, drama, music, dance and literature; to examine the role of older artists in society as models for successful aging.
Wellness - Wellness includes physical, psychological, social and spiritual wellness and relates strongly to personal purpose, quality of life, realistic expectations, and relationships with other people as well as nature. These focuses can be encouraged through exercise, disease prevention, health narratives, social engagement, practice of humanities and cultural change. Goals of this focus include: to understand the value of literary, visual, and performing arts in giving joy and purpose in life; to examine aspects of cultural change necessary to enhance the quality of life of elders; to develop a sense of wellness through intergenerational learning, among others.
Community - The community cluster will examine the role of community and sense of self in the world. It will focus on how people find their place in the face of challenge. Climate, neighbors, politics, passions, culture, services, money, health, values and family are all important aspects of a person's community, so exploring these things helps to define one's sense of place. Culture is also an extremely valuable aspect in community and should be explored in depth along with the above topics.
For more information about these clusters, visit - http://www.eckerd.edu/positiveaging
The proposals should address important issues pertaining to these themes submitted by September 11, 2009 by Email, Fax, or Mail.
Questions about proposals should be directed to Joan Karins at Karinsjr@eckerd.edu
The conference is currently requesting proposals for workshop presentations and demonstrations that will follow the keynote address in each theme area:
Life Transitions - The Life Transitions programs are devoted to models, ideas and distinctions about the critical transition triggers and issues for people in the second half of life. Goals of the initiative include: gaining new perspective on the process of making transitions to the second half of life; learn about approaches that track successes in facilitating transitions; make connections between life transitions and various aspects of our lives including wellness, community, and creativity/arts.
Creativity - Creativity is a way for adults later in life to enhance their physical health, enrich relationships and strengthen morale. Creative engagement is also a legacy that older people can leave their children, grandchildren, and society. Goals of the programs presented include: to gain new perspective on the role of creativity in program development for older adults; to learn about successful programs in visual arts, drama, music, dance and literature; to examine the role of older artists in society as models for successful aging.
Wellness - Wellness includes physical, psychological, social and spiritual wellness and relates strongly to personal purpose, quality of life, realistic expectations, and relationships with other people as well as nature. These focuses can be encouraged through exercise, disease prevention, health narratives, social engagement, practice of humanities and cultural change. Goals of this focus include: to understand the value of literary, visual, and performing arts in giving joy and purpose in life; to examine aspects of cultural change necessary to enhance the quality of life of elders; to develop a sense of wellness through intergenerational learning, among others.
Community - The community cluster will examine the role of community and sense of self in the world. It will focus on how people find their place in the face of challenge. Climate, neighbors, politics, passions, culture, services, money, health, values and family are all important aspects of a person's community, so exploring these things helps to define one's sense of place. Culture is also an extremely valuable aspect in community and should be explored in depth along with the above topics.
For more information about these clusters, visit - http://www.eckerd.edu/positiveaging
The proposals should address important issues pertaining to these themes submitted by September 11, 2009 by Email, Fax, or Mail.
Questions about proposals should be directed to Joan Karins at Karinsjr@eckerd.edu
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Six-String Seniors: Students Prove it's Never too late to Rock
Pat Howe of La Plata, MD, had to undergo open skull surgery after having a brain aneurysm. After deciding at a college course would be a little too stressful, the 63-year-old school teacher decided to pick up the guitar, something she had never tried before. Howe said, "[My friends said] 'you got divorced, went to school and got your teaching degree at 50. You'll be a rock start when you're 65.'" Howe attends guitar classes at the Waldorf Senior Center for beginners who have never had the time to learn the instrument. Charlesetta Welsh, another member of the class said, "I've always been excited to learn. It's never too late. I'm 74 going on 75. I wanted to do something I've never done before and it's fun. I'll keep coming; I'm not going to give up."
Read the story here
Read the story here
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Facebook!
NCCA has joined facebook!
Join our group and learn about upcoming events, new articles in the field, and use as a networking tool to see who in your area is a part of the creative aging cause!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=107689248422
Join our group and learn about upcoming events, new articles in the field, and use as a networking tool to see who in your area is a part of the creative aging cause!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=107689248422
Monday, August 3, 2009
Storytelling Uniting Generations
Storytelling is a magnificant way to bring older adults and youth together to share a creative activity. Older adults are the keepers of culture, essential in relaying the past and sharing experiences with younger generations.
In the article, Aging Well: Resurrecting the Art of Storytelling, Tamera Manzanares describes the storytelling program, Spellbinders. Spellbinders started in the 1980s and trains retirees from all over the world and with disabilities to read and tell stories to elementary aged children. Spellbinders is benifical for the listeners as much as the storytellers. "The reward of seeing the children and having them so enthralled with your stories is just so much satisfaction," said Norma Roscoe, a storyteller and chapter leader for Mesa County Spellbinders.
In the article, Aging Well: Resurrecting the Art of Storytelling, Tamera Manzanares describes the storytelling program, Spellbinders. Spellbinders started in the 1980s and trains retirees from all over the world and with disabilities to read and tell stories to elementary aged children. Spellbinders is benifical for the listeners as much as the storytellers. "The reward of seeing the children and having them so enthralled with your stories is just so much satisfaction," said Norma Roscoe, a storyteller and chapter leader for Mesa County Spellbinders.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
NCCA Summer Webinar Series
Webinars are a wonderful way to bring people from around the country together to obtain the most current information on research, programming, and development of arts programs for older adults from highly trained professionals. They are an opportunity to network with professionals in the aging and arts fields locally and nationally without ever leaving your office or home. Our next two webinars in the summer series are:
August 5, 2:00 pm EDT - Practice: Learn the effective practices and case studies for developing programs in lifelong learning, health and wellness, and civic engagement. Presented by Andrea Sherman, PhD, NCCA Master Teaching Artist and President, Transitional Keys.
August 12, 2:00 pm EDT - Resource Development: Learn how to build partnerships, compound existing resources and find new revenue streams to create and sustain creative aging programs. Presented by Gay Hanna, PhD, MFA, Executive Director, NCCA
Cost: $50 per webinar. Pay by credit card from our website using PayPal. Organizational Members participate for Free! See our website for more details: www.creativeaging.org
August 5, 2:00 pm EDT - Practice: Learn the effective practices and case studies for developing programs in lifelong learning, health and wellness, and civic engagement. Presented by Andrea Sherman, PhD, NCCA Master Teaching Artist and President, Transitional Keys.
August 12, 2:00 pm EDT - Resource Development: Learn how to build partnerships, compound existing resources and find new revenue streams to create and sustain creative aging programs. Presented by Gay Hanna, PhD, MFA, Executive Director, NCCA
Cost: $50 per webinar. Pay by credit card from our website using PayPal. Organizational Members participate for Free! See our website for more details: www.creativeaging.org
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Creative Aging News Brief
The arts and aging field is ever expanding with new research and programs proving the importance of creativity later in life. NCCA will feature a story every week of outstanding older adults, artists, programs and ideas from around the world who exemplify the significance of creativity when aging.
Dance of a Lifetime in a Lifetime of Dance
At 99-years-old Ida Arbeit is preparing for her next performance onstage with the intergenerational Kairos Dance Theater for "Dancing With Ida," a show based on her dancing experiences in New York City. Arbeit was a professional dancer for 12 years with Helen Tamiris, one of the pioneers of modern dance. She quit dancing to raise her family and teach music to children, but is back in action and on stage performing with people of all ages. Arbeit has shared her numerous moves and stories from her adventures and experiences performing over the years.
Read more about this story at: http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/47165432.html?page=2&c=y
To receive NCCA's monthly newsbrief containing more articles like these become and individual NCCA member for Free!
Dance of a Lifetime in a Lifetime of Dance
At 99-years-old Ida Arbeit is preparing for her next performance onstage with the intergenerational Kairos Dance Theater for "Dancing With Ida," a show based on her dancing experiences in New York City. Arbeit was a professional dancer for 12 years with Helen Tamiris, one of the pioneers of modern dance. She quit dancing to raise her family and teach music to children, but is back in action and on stage performing with people of all ages. Arbeit has shared her numerous moves and stories from her adventures and experiences performing over the years.
Read more about this story at: http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/47165432.html?page=2&c=y
To receive NCCA's monthly newsbrief containing more articles like these become and individual NCCA member for Free!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)