When I think of aging I imagine… Honorees of the NCCA & DSM Beautiful Minds Campaign courtesy of DSM Nutritional Products

Envision a world where all individuals flourish across their lifespan through creative expression… Honorees of the NCCA & DSM Beautiful Minds Campaign courtesy of DSM Nutritional Products

Flourishing Across the Spectrum of FLOURISHING Across the Spectrum of Aging  Positive Emotion  Positive Engagement  Positive Relationship  Meaning Making  Mastery Martin Seligman, Flourish

The Silver Tsunami: An Emerging Reality  Fastest growing percentage of the US population is older adults over the age of 85 with 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 every day  4.5+ million Americans live with dementia – individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease alone doubles with each five-year interval after the age of 65  Number of caregivers rising rapidly with enormous emotional, physical, and financial challenges placed upon partners, spouses, family, and friends.

Creative Aging: A Potent Possibility  Vital evidence-based efficacy and positive impact of creative arts and humanities interventions with aging populations  With improved health, higher quality of care, resilience, and quality of life across the spectrum of aging  Effective for aging adults AND their caregivers by mitigating long-term depression and anxiety related to chronic conditions, and enhancing quality of life  Reducing social and healthcare costs, enhancing professional provider resilience, and strengthening networks of care.

Dual Community Impact: Challenge or Opportunity?  Community, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations shouldering additional responsibilities once held by families  Health and Human Service resources – being tapped to address acute and long term need  Economic Impact – emerging economies of need and opportunity  Workforce and social systems experiencing dramatic distribution shifts  Social Justice aging in place and resource distribution  Communities of practice pioneering the way forward

Transforming Communities through Creative Aging  Generating partnership through aligned support networks  Fostering Age-Friendly living and lifestyles that attract residency  Creating and sustaining micro-economies and generative markets that stabilize and sustain community  Addressing social justice disparities through placemaking  Redefining horizons that illuminate emerging communities of practice

The NCCA Creative Caregiving Initiative © Flourishing through the Art of Caregiving A pioneering online and community-based resource for family and professional caregivers.

Promoting Vital Aging Growing Imagination Building Vibrant communities

Envision a world where all individuals flourish across their lifespan through creative expression… Honorees of the NCCA & DSM Beautiful Minds Campaign courtesy of DSM Nutritional Products