Music and art at your community!
Creative Aging member communities select professional performers and workshop artists from Creative Aging's roster of more than 85 musicians and artists. Creative Aging vets and engages high-quality, professional musicians; schedules selected musicians or artists for the times and dates the community requestes; pays the artists; and gathers feedback from the community and the artist regarding the program's impact. Click here for membership information.
The Arts' Impact
As people continue to live longer, vital aging becomes increasingly important. Being a senior today may encompass a period of over 30 years! The value of arts programming like that offered by Creative Aging is supported by numerous scientific findings:
Older adults who remain socially engaged are more likely to retain sharper intellectual skills.
Brett, CE, et al. (2012). Psychosocial factors and health as determinants of quality of life in community-dwelling older adults. Quality of Life Research, 21(3): 505-516.
Keeping an active mind may help people withstand the ravages of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia or, at very least, delay their onset.
Fratiglioni, L, et al. (2004). An active and socially integrated lifestyle in late life might protect against dementia. The Lancet Neurology, 3(6):343 – 353.
Active seniors may also be less likely to experience declines in motor skills like strength, speed and dexterity.
Buchman, AS, et al. (2009). Association between late-life social activity and motor decline in older adults. Archives of Internal Medicine, 169(12):1139-1146.
In comparing seniors participating in arts programs with nonparticipants, studies report a higher overall physical health rating for the former. This group also uses less medication, requires fewer doctor visits and experiences fewer falls and other health problems, ultimately reducing community health care costs.
Baker, B. (2008). Studies suggest there's an art to getting older. The Washington Post, Tuesday, March 11, 2008. Accessed 5/11/12, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/10/AR2008031001617.html
Music and arts experiences offer isolated older adults opportunities to socialize, reducing feelings of "social disconnectedness . . . associated with worse physical health.”
Cornwell, EY, and Waite, LJ. 2009. Social disconnectedness, perceived isolation and health among older adults. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 50(March): 31–48