Arts and Public Health Focus of Student led Conference

3^rd Annual Dalla Lana School of Public Health

Conference: “The Art of Public Health”

Submission Deadline: August 6, 2010

Conference Date: October 1, 2010

Location: Toronto, Ontario

This student-led conference focuses on arts-based approaches to public health. This will feature an outstanding keynote address by Dr. Sarah Flicker, and informative sessions aimed at engaging participants by providing an opportunity for dialogue and debate pertaining to arts in public health research, knowledge translation, program planning, evaluation and empowerment. The organizing committee are seeking submissions from interested students, community organizations, practitioners, researchers and artists interested in sharing their research, experience or expertise in the use of arts in public health. Individuals or groups wanting to exhibit works of art, dance, theatre, film or photography are also encouraged to participate.

Information:

http://artofpublichealthconference.com/U_of_T/home.html

Nissley shares Passion for Leadership Storytelling and Organizational Change

We heard recently from Dr. Nick Nissley, Executive Director of Leadership Development at The Banff Centre for the Arts in Alberta. Nick earned his doctorate of education degree from George Washington University’s Graduate School of Education and Human Development, in an interdisciplinary program, focused in human resource development (executive leadership in organizational learning). At the center of Nick’s work is applied imagination – helping individuals, organizations, and communities transform themselves through learning, as they confront real-world challenges.

Over the past 10 years, Nick has helped define the field of arts based learning in management education. In a recent article in "Issues and Observations" Nick reported "the business world in recent years has shown increasing interest in the narrative lens and more specifically in the relationship between leadership storytelling and organizational change."

Baycrest Bringing Creativity into Clinical Practice with Older Adults

Baycrest Social Workers are pleased to present
The Walter Lyons Memorial Social Work Clinic Day
Bringing Creativity into Clinical Practice with Older Adults
Friday, November 12, 2010
The Joseph E. & Minnie Wagman Centre
55 Ameer Avenue, Toronto, Ontario (on the Baycrest Campus)

Sponsorship generously provided by:
The Walter Lyons Memorial Fund
The Ben & Hilda Katz Centre for Gerontological Social Work

PROGRAM

8:00 Registration and Refreshments

8:45 Welcome & Introductory Remarks

Dr. William Reichman, President and CEO, Baycrest

Ms. Peggy Arden, Chairperson, Baycrest Social Work Clinic Day Planning Committee

9:00 Still Life!: Why Making Art Makes Sense

Robin Glazer, MS

The benefits of providing quality arts experiences to older adults have been proven and these
benefits include better health, stronger cognition, increased social interaction and,some suggest, longer lives. Developing best practices in providing arts to older adults can produce a rejuvenating effect on the entire community, from participants to their caregivers.

9:45 The Creative Spirit….
A View of the World

Joel Walker, MD, FRCPC

In this presentation Dr. Walker will discuss how a group of institutionalized elderly with varied
impairments became consciously involved in developing their own potential and growth through
the use of photography.

10:30 Refreshment Break

10:45 Using Drama to Humanize Dementia Care

Pia Kontos, PhD

This presentation will explore the effectiveness of drama in the context of the qualitative
evaluation of an arts-informed educational program on person-centred dementia care. Analysis of focus groups and interviews with nurses and allied health care practitioners who participated in the program suggests that drama is an effective pedagogical tool and is well positioned to
strengthen initiatives that seek to improve dementia care.

11:30 Q & A Panel with Keynote Speakers

12:00 Voices of the Terraces Theatre Troupe

The cast members of this theatre group are 80 years and over, and perform a range of mini-plays thematically based on the emotional, psychological and physical experiences of aging and living in a retirement setting.

12:30 Lunch

Followed by workshop sessions

For more information:Please contact Paula Ferreira at 416-785-2500 ext. 2363 or e-mail pferreira@baycrest.org

Artist Filmmaker Seeks Healthcare Equity in Territories of the Breast

See film


photo from: http://www.soniabaezhernandez.com/performance.htm

Sonia Báez-Hernández is an artist, filmmaker and cancer survivor who has produced a powerful film with a message for change. Territories of the Breast raises awareness about discriminatory health practices and healthcare inequities for minority women in the U.S

The film is a personal narrative featuring Báez-Hernández and her story and also profiles interviews with cancer survivors. Artist and Producer, Sonia Báez-Hernández, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001 at an outpatient facility in Evanston. While at the facility, she reports, she canceled her surgery twice because her rights to participate in critical decisions about her care were violated.

This documentary clearly demonstrates that navigating the healthcare system without medical coverage can be a confusing, harsh and at times dismissive experience.

Báez-Hernández interviews women who have fought for their lives and lived through cancer while battling the system seeking treatment. The film stresses the importance of early detection and medical care for all women and questions how in a country of enormous wealth, preventive healthcare is neither affordable nor equitable for all citizens.

Territories of the Breast courageously ventures into challenging territory exploring difficult questions about human rights and healthcare, a film by an artist, filmmaker and healthcare reform champion that could open the way for transformative change.

Cheryl McLean, Publisher International Journal of the Creative Arts in Interdisciplinary Practice

See a Youtube excerpt below from

Sonia Báez-Hernández film "Territories of the Breast" here: