New Socially-Distanced Programs to Encourage Creative Aging in Quarantine

During 2020, our Year in Music, Arts for the Aging has been undergoing a transformation along with the region and the world. Our response to the need for programmatic and organizational change continues to evolve, as we uplift health and wellness in aging through regular participation in the multidisciplinary arts — despite physical and social distancing. We have been implementing various distanced programs to keep creative aging alive. Below we outline the programs we have tested out.

 

coOPERAtion

ROMEZ3arts debuted Arts for the Aging’s first pandemic-resilient program in an interactive opera workshop using Zoom. Singing actor Peter Joshua Burroughs and maestro Carlos Cesar Rodriguez on piano engaged caregivers and older adults with memory loss. They chose famous arias from opera librettos to which most can hum or sing along and masterfully sparked singing, call and response, role-playing, and tactile cognitive stimulation.

“[ROMEZ3arts was] always a favorite of my late husband, and though he passed 2 ½ weeks ago, it really was like being with him enjoying the performance (one of the activities he continued to enjoy the longest in his dementia journey).” –Elaine E.

 

Rhythms of Life

Teaching artists, percussionist Manny Arciniega and bassist Chris Brown, perform ‘Stay Cool,’ by trumpeter Victor Olaiya in a video to be premiered in Rockville-based JCA-Kensington Club’s online variety show. In the video the artists demo loops of bass, percussion, and body rhythms to encourage breathing, movement, and imagination.

 

heART Kits

Teaching artist Marci Wolf-Hubbardis assembling heART Kits for delivery with meals to isolated seniors affiliated with Vita Shady Grove Nursing and Rehabilitation in Maryland. The kits include art supplies to encourage creativity in seniors despite distancing.


We're Hiring

As Arts for the Aging forges ahead with a newly revitalized strategic plan celebrating recent growth and enrichment in our mission and programming, we are expanding and transitioning our team. We recently invited applications for new and continuing full-time staff positions -- Program Director, Administrative Manager and Fundraising Coordinator. The job description and application instructions for the Fundraising position are available via the link above. No phone inquiries or snail mail applications, please.

UPDATE AS OF 5/1/2020: As we move into the hiring and on-boarding phases for two of the roles, Program Director and Administrative Manager, we are pausing on accepting applications for the Fundraising Coordinator position. 

Over the last two years our artistic faculty and reach to community partners has grown by 20%. 23 teaching artists --- five who are new introducing curricula in theatre, play-writing, poetry, and tango --- regularly reach 1,376 older adults and caregivers in 50 community and residential care settings and cultural institutions in the Greater Washington, D.C. region. Together with 600 annual and celebrated music, dance, and visual arts programs, these workshops provide accessible and uplifting ways to meet the effects of changing abilities that come with aging.

With the challenge that most of our staff is changing at once, comes the opportunity to bring on new colleagues around similar hiring timelines to partner with us in next exciting steps. We look forward to new frontiers.


Embraceable Tango Pillows

Since the embrace, abrazos, is core to tango dancing, and we often have more seniors in our workshops than teaching artists, these pillows were created by artists during the tango series as alternative dance partners, fully outfitted in the festive spirit of the dance. Pillows were auctioned off in support of our mission and tango programs. See more photos from the program series here and view videos here.


September Sparks

Even in the most prosaic and impulsive ways that we may dance or sing, write, paint or act, it is self-expression that brings to light our most extraordinary selves. Arts for the Aging will celebrate its 30th anniversary next year--three decades combating isolation and spreading joy and better health to older adults, especially those living with aging-related health impairments. In welcoming autumn, we share with you this most recent newsletter and moments from a sparkling year to date. This fall, AFTA board members will host artful parties and salons featuring special guests, and to support our good works. To AFTA Gala-goers and newcomers alike, stay tuned. We are readying to launch anniversary and Gala celebrations next year. Partnerships are developing with the Embassy of Switzerland, and The Phillips Collection with its forthcoming Paul Klee exhibition in early 2018. Thank you, as ever, for your care, friendship and support of AFTA.  

Music-making for stress relief, Rockville Senior Center, for Age-Friendly Montgomery County's 7th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day