The Wellness Movement That's Empowering Older Adults to Become Artists

Organizations like the National Center for Creative Aging (NCCA) are hosting "creative aging" courses, which the NCCA's Jennie Smith-Peers describes as "any opportunity for an older adult to be engaged in a meaningful opportunity to express themselves through art," reports Art Sy . The classes are designed to teach a skill, and enthusiasm for such projects is rising thanks to research by geriatric psychiatrist Gene D. Cohen. He conducted a study of 150 adults in Washington, D.C., aged 65 or over who met weekly in an "arts group" for much of 2001, comparing them to a control group that did not take part in such a program. After several years, the arts group had better health, fewer doctor visits, used fewer drugs, felt less lonely and depressed, had higher morale, and were more socially engaged. In 2008, the Lifetime Arts organization was founded to offer training and support so many community groups can build up their own independent creative aging programs. Lifetime Arts trains teaching artists to work specifically with older adults. The NCCA also provides training and resources for institutions ready to embrace the benefits of creative aging. "We're seeing it become more and more a part of the culture of community centers, of long-term care communities," says Smith-Peers. "It's no longer an afterthought. The arts are what make these places for older adults a more interesting, meaningful place to engage in and to live in."