1. Gay Hanna, PhD, MFA Executive Director National Center for Creative Aging Ace Everett, MBA Director NCCA Arts & Aging Local Exchange NVAN November 18, 2014

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3. National Center for Creative Aging A national service organization dedicated to fostering the vital relationship between creative expression and healthy aging. ● Research ● Policy ● Practice

4. 4 “What has been universally denied is the potential. The ultimate expression of potential is creativity.” – Dr. Gene Cohen

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6. Creativity and Aging Research Research Indicators: Social engagement Mastery

7. Findings Better health Less doctor visits Less medication Increase in activities and social engagement Projected Health Care Costs Savings: $.08/day = $1 billion/year in Medicare D REFERENCE Cohen, Gene D., Susan Perlstein, Jeff Chapline, Jeanne Kelly, Kimberly Firth, and Samuel Simmens. “The Impact of Professionally conducted Cultural Programs on the Physical Health, Mental Health and Social Functioning of Older Adults.” The Gerontologist 46, no. 6 (2006): 726-734

8. Helga Noice, Ph.D. & Tony Noice MFA 2010 Dr. Gene D. Cohen Research Award in Creativity and Aging Winners Acting/ Cognitive Improvement 8

9. Barry Bittman, MD. 2011 Dr. Gene D. Cohen Research Award in Creativity and Aging Winner Recreational Music Making/Caregiver Stress Reduction 9

10. Bruce Miller, MD. 2012 Dr. Gene D. Cohen Research Award in Creativity and Aging Winner Visual Arts/ Diagnois Frontal Lobe Dementia 10

11. Nina Kraus, Ph.D. 2013 Dr. Gene D. Cohen Research Award in Creativity and Aging Winner Professional Music Making/Auditory Improvement 11

12. Rita Charon, MD., Ph.D. 2014 Dr. Gene D. Cohen Research Award in Creativity and Aging Winner Narrative Medicine 12

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16. 16 Conclusions!

17. Coming up May 18th White House Mini Conference on Creativity and Aging in America May 19th & 20th NCCA Leadership Exchange - Research, Practice, Business May 21st NCCA Professional Development Institute 17

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19. Enhancing Healthy Aging through Arts Participation

20. Encourage social engagement Improve health outcomes Enhance quality of life

21. Research reveals the positive benefits among older adults participating in arts experiences.

22. Music and art stimulate the brain in the areas that Alzheimer’s cannot touch, bypassing the debilitating disease and often providing relief. Cohen, 2006

23. Learning jazz dance can improve balance in older women, whose main cause of injuries is falls. Alpert et al, 2009

24. Using strategies of personal actors (like getting into character and constant rehearsal) have been shown to improve memory test scores of older adults. Noice and Noice, 1999

25. Credit: Gene Carl Feldman for Arts for the Aging

26. Credit: Stephanie Williams for Arts for the Aging

27. Credits: Stephanie Williams & Emily Wathen for Arts for the Aging

29. Enhance healthy aging through arts participation in the District of Columbia.

30. 30 4125 Albemarle St., NW, Washington, DC 20016 202-895-9456 info@creativeaging.org