Chronicles of Future's Past

Art is a form of expression. It doesn’t matter what form it takes (painting, sculpture, photography, etc.) or the level of expertise an individual has. What’s most important is the feeling that emanates from the design, what the artist wants you to feel.

According to Dale Chihuly, an internationally renowned glass artist and creator of the program ‘Seniors Making Art’, “Anyone can make art as long as one has imagination and life experiences to draw on. Making art is not about craftsmanship, it has to do with feelings and memories.” Does that sound familiar? It’s probably because I already mentioned the importance of expressing emotion through art in a previous post.

The population of aging adults is growing steadily and will be the largest generation by 2030. Staying engaged in every day activity, and with the many world changes is important. It helps build and maintain relationships while preserving a social atmosphere. Engaging in artistic frameworks (whether it’s woodworking, painting, sculpting, or sketching) keeps your mind and body active. Even better, you can participate in the activity with friends.    

And we want to help inspire you! The Sheridan Elder Research Centre proudly presents a unique exhibition of Jerry Friedman’s photographs of earth’s oldest people – supercentenarians, individual’s ages 110+.  The show, which has been exhibited in Tokyo, Amsterdam, Washington, and Boston, and in New York City at the United Nations, will be held on display at the Sheridan College Gallery in Oakville from September 21 – October 5, 2012. This Sheridan exhibition marks the first time these fascinating photographs have been shown in Canada. 

Gallery hours are Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Fridays from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

So come out and explore! Bring family and friends to see the beautiful photographs of these supercentenarians that will live on in Friedman’s work. 

What's your niche?

Left, right, and centre: retirement homes that focus on a particular hobby, interest, or activity, are popping up in the United States, CNBC reports.  They are tailored to specific wants and needs for older adults, so that they can continue to immerse themselves into an every day activity. 

These “Niche retirement communities” not only encourage retirees to stay active, but they give them the ability to do so in a location that caters to their ‘expertise’ or growing interest.  They are able to fulfill their days with what makes them happy, within an environment that will support it.

In Franklin, Tennessee, the Country Music Association is planning a community with recording studios and performance venues, writes Harriet Barovick, in ‘10. Niche Aging,’ an article for Time Magazine. And in Santa Rosa, California there’s Fountaingrove Lodge - America’s first long term care facility for gay and lesbian retirees.

Andrew Carle, director of George Mason University’s senior housing administration program told CNBC that although these communities are in their “infancy stage, they offer lots of upsides.”

For example:  so-called university–based communities are located near a post-secondary campus, where residents can sign-up (for a nominal fee) and attend classes for pleasure.  “The Oak Hammock at the University of Florida in Gainesville has an in-house Institute for Learning in Retirement, developed with the University of Florida,” CNBC reports.

As the growing interest in these housing communities increase, so do the number of hobbyists.  The question remains – how will they manage to cater to everyone’s needs and interests?

Tell us what you think! What type of niche long-term care facility do you dream of?

To read more on the different retirement homes already available, click here.

Have you found your niche?

If you have yet to figure out what your interest/hobby is – have no fear! In honour of Seniors’ Month, SERCCA is hosting  “A Taste of the Arts” on Friday, June 22^nd, where we encourage you to come out and participate in our creative workshops.  For more information and how to register, please click the image below.  We look forward to seeing you!

Art promotes healing

I believe that we are born artists. Before we can write, before we can read, we can communicate visually… What happens to our creativity when we get older? Do we lose it?

The question, posed by Jeff Nachtigall to The Calgary Journal, is just as quickly answered,  “Maybe we haven’t lost (it), but we have buried it,” said Nachtigall.  “Some of us have buried it deeper than others.”

In the article, Art for seniors and residents of long term care facilities promotes healing, Nachtigall, the artist-in-residence at Sherbrooke Community Centre in Saskatoon, and the keynote speaker for the third Creative Aging Calgary Symposium, demonstrated the “results of using visual arts as a way for residents of long-term care facilities to access their own creative potential.”

To gain participation in an art session at the Centre, Nachtigall placed a large piece of canvas paper on the floor of the studio, and finally, attached rags to the bottoms of canes and wheelchairs.  With their chosen colour of paint, the residents would travel across the paper, creating one large painting. 

 Art and dementia appear to go hand-in-hand, as “many studies have linked the participation in some type of artistic work with positive outcomes for people living with” the disease.  The Calgary Journal reported on a 2010 article in the Journal of Active Aging that said, "Artistic endeavors target the healthy parts of the brain – areas untouched by disease, whether the participant has Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia."

Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are common diseases that affect many people, and staying active has become a significant way of delaying the on-set.  Finding a way to stay physically and mentally motivated – be it walking, painting, dancing, etc. – are important activities to engage oneself in.  You can live a full life, despite Alzheimer’s.    

Get involved in the community:

On Tuesday, June 22, SERC is hosting Taste of the Arts day, where everyone is welcome to come out and try a new activity.  We will have a palette of programs, from painting, to singing, to Latin dancing.  So mark that calendar – and we hope to see you soon!

(Picture provided by Center for American Progress)

Wake up and dance

“Dance has the rare and precious power to unite people of all ages, cultures and religions and has an intrinsic value to Canadian society.

Consider the enthusiasm of children as they express themselves through movement; the joy adults exude after a ballroom dance class; the profound emotional response of audiences and their reflections after a powerful dance performance; the incredible energy generated in a room when everybody starts to boogie; and the passion and history reflected in traditional and cultural dances.

Imagine how desolate a world without dance would be.

Dance speaks to the mind, body and soul in a way that goes beyond the power of words and its social impact and capacity to engage should be celebrated. As an art form dance can be impressive but expression is its fundamental nature.”

~Yvon “Crazy Smooth” Soglo, artistic director of Bboyizm

Shake it, move it, wiggle it, drop it… The Canadian Dance Assembly invites you to participate in this year’s National Dance Week.  It will run from Sunday, April 22 to Sunday, April 29. It's focused on promoting International Dance Day on the 29^th.  During this week, one theme will be celebrated each day to embrace the rich and varied landscape of Canadian dance, according to the ilovedancecanada website.

SarahJane Burton, the head of the dance division of musical theatre at Sheridan College, says that dance is a key source to keeping your channels open.  “Dance is a full mind-body experience,” she says, “You are improving your co-ordination, increasing your flexibility, and creating a greater endurance.”

On Wed April 25, it is “dance is a source of well being for seniors” day.  So, turn that volume up just a little bit more that morning.  Take five minutes out of your day to just sway to rhythm of a song.  Your movement can encourage a positive energy that is addicting, and can encourage others to join in.  It’s an endorphin feeding frenzy!  So… what are you waiting for? Get up and dance!  

http://ilovedancecanada.wordpress.com/national-dance-week/

Life and art are an interwoven canvas

This past Saturday, I spent my afternoon in Caledonia, Ont., speaking to, and admiring, the work of Sjanie (shaw-nee) Bethlehem.  An inspiring woman, the 70-year-old technical illustration artist has been showcasing her artwork for years and exhibited a number of art shows.  She has received awards in painting, scratchboard, pyrography and woodcarving, just a few of the many different styles she has adapted.     

Showcasing the art of the Bethlehem family, the By the Grand – Pa, Ma, Daughter exhibit at the Edinburgh Square Heritage and Cultural Centre was a huge thrill for Sjanie.  On this day, she shared the stage with her husband Bill, 73, and daughter Shawna, 24, in this special family affair for the first time. 

As I walked into the Edinburgh Centre's room, the small and somewhat rustic lodging felt cozy as it housed the works of all three artists.  Sjanie’s eagerness radiated, pointing out who did which art piece and why, how it related to a moment in time, or, in her case, how she would create whatever “was in her head” at that moment.  The glow in her eyes, the excitement in her voice, it made a person want to pull out a canvas and start painting right then and there. 

In January 2008, Sjanie’s family was faced with a tragedy when her 20-year-old granddaughter Shawna was in a car accident, sustaining a number of injuries, including a severe brain trauma. At the time she was only in her second year of the kinesiology program at McMaster University.  

A year later, Sjanie decided she would teach her granddaughter how to paint.  “All of her injuries have to do with motor skills,” she explained.  “We did the first painting, hand-over-hand, and she was quite willing. It was a little tough [at first], but gradually she picked up on it. She’s my granddaughter and it makes it fun.  I would do the same for [any of] my grandkids.”  This teaching strategy has been complicated by Shawna’s inability to speak.

Sjanie’s dedication to the recovery of her granddaughter is heartwarming and passionate.  Her determination to stay active throughout life artistically, while staying engaged with the progress her granddaughter has made with art and her physical ability is important to Sjanie.  She recognizes that it is a large part of what keeps her motivated.  Recently, Sjanie has taught herself how to play guitar, a skill she has not mastered but has given her with a new challenge that is fun to learn.  Art of any kind is an inspiring and motivational form of expression for seniors.  It keeps them engaged and can encourage them to strive to find and improve on an interest they may have not considered doing before. Healthy and happy, both getting and giving family support, Sjanie Bethlehem is prepared to face the challenges that come her way.   

Below: Sjanie Bethlehem and her granddaughter Shawna.