Arts and Aging Featured at Edmonton's Creative Age Festival

We recently heard from CCAHTE subscriber Pamela Brett-MacLean, Co-Director of The Arts and Humanities in Health and Medicine Program, University of Alberta, about a new festival in Edmonton taking place this June celebrating the many contributions of the arts in work in aging and health.



The Creative Age Festival, Edmonton’s newest festival, celebrates arts and aging by showcasing arts-based workshops, performances and events, including special film screenings and an Arts Café. This week-long celebration of creative aging has been organized to recognize the vital contributions of the arts in relation to lifelong learning, creative expression, health and well-being in later life.



A symposium has been organized as part of the Creative Age Festival offering a unique training and development opportunity for senior-serving agencies, health providers, seniors, students, and researchers.

Presentations and workshops will be showcased that explore the significance of arts and aging, in terms of cultural contributions, lifelong learning, community connections, social service and health care. This symposium will also provide a forum for sharing experience, innovative program models, best practices and research.

As part of this symposium, we are pleased to have Susan Perlstein, Director of Education and Training, National Center on Creative Aging (Washington DC) as keynote speaker. Susan will consider the significance of “creative aging” in relation to everyday life, and also summarize findings from a study she collaborated on with Dr. Gene Cohen from the Centre of Aging, Health and Humanities at George Washington University which provides evidence about positive benefits associated with involvement in arts and cultural programs.

Creative Age Festival June 2-8, 2008
Edmonton, AB (Various Locations)

1st Celebration of Creative Aging Symposium, June 3, 2008
Telus Centre (University of Alberta Campus)
Edmonton, AB

Call for Presentations - Submission Deadline: May 14, 2008

Creative Responses to Death and Bereavement , University of Western Ontario, Registration for Spring 08

Creative Responses to Death and Bereavement

University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
May, 2008

Cheryl McLean

Plans are currently underway to offer the University of Western Ontario course "Creative Responses to Death and Bereavement" on line by May 08 through University of Western Ontario, Continuing Studies. I will be working with UWO helping to adapt new programming and materials for the on line WEB CT OWL version of the program so that the course will be widely accessible and interactive for registrants who frequently include nurse educators, therapists, teachers, social workers, those working in aging and health, caregivers and others with an interest in bereavement counselling and education. Professionals will have an opportunity to learn about the interplay of the arts such as writing, narrative, drama, poetry and ritual in death and bereavement work.



I will also be available to teach the "in class" Creative Responses to Death and Bereavement course which will be offered at King's University College, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Monday evenings starting in early May and running to July from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Register before March l, 2008. This course will be offered as part of the "Grief and Bereavement Studies" program at The University of Western Ontario.

Application deadline: March 1, 2008


For full program details see: http://www.uwo.ca/cstudies/framepostdegree.html
See green bottom rt. sidebar "Grief and Bereavement"

Other information:


King's University College Centre for Education about Grief and Bereavement, UWO
http://www.uwo.ca/kings/academic_programs/centres/deathed/






See video clips #1 C. McLean, Introduction, Creative Arts in Bereavement
Presentation, King's University College, University of Western Ontario
http://www.cmclean.com/movies/cheryl-part1.mov

video clip #2 Arts approaches in health, training and education gaining momentum, King's University College, University of Western Ontario
http://www.cmclean.com/movies/cheryl-part2.mov

"The study of death is truly life enhancing."

Dr. John (Jack) Morgan

Poems of Middle Age, Mourning, Loss and Dementia

Laurie Block is a poet, playwright, professional storyteller and seasoned performer.

He was born in Winnipeg and lives in Brandon Manitoba. We were pleased to feature Laurie's poem "Coming to my Senses" in our September 06 issue of the CCAHTE Journal.

In the foreword to Laurie's moving, honest and luminous collection of poems,"Time out of Mind" he inscribes the last coherent words his mother said to him,

"I used to be quite fond of you." Shortly after that.. she lost what remained of her senses and sank into the vegetative state in which she spent her last years. Many of these poems are rooted in disorientation, displacement and loss of equilibrium, the friction between what happens outside the skin and what may be taking place on the inside. Laurie Block suggests we value consciousness as somehow more concrete, enduring and linked to assumptions about identity than our bodies. He therefore asks the question. Is the self first a face or a soul?

We are pleased to announce "Time Out of Mind" has recently been shortlisted for The McNally

Robinson Manitoba Book of the Year Award and the Inaugural Landsdowne Poetry Prize.

You will find Laurie Block's complete poem, "Coming to My Senses"

in your free September archived issue of CCAHTE Journal at http://www.cmclean.com/.

This valuable issue also contains information and full articles about "The Poetry of Practice"

and using poetry in Medical Education. Register free for CCAHTE Journal at ccahte@cmclean.com with an email "please subscribe".

Be sure to join Laurie Block and hear more about the stories of his poetry and his work in an upcoming post. We look forward to welcoming Laurie Block to our CCAHTE Blog Crossing Borders as this week's featured artist "in conversation".

Integrating the Creative Arts in Healthcare, Drama, Narrative, Collage and Performance Methodologies in Health

CCAHTE Sponsors Day Training Intensive

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Windermere Manor, London, Ontario

Ideally located adjacent to The University of Western Ontario, London Health Sciences Centre University Campus, and only minutes from St. Joseph's Health Care, London

Integrating the Creative Arts in Healthcare

Drama, Narrative, Collage and Performance Methodologies in Health

For educators, health professionals, nurses, physicians,

mental health professionals, counsellors,

those working in aging and health, social services

and others interested in the creative arts in health, training and education

The successful day training intensive series "Integrating the Creative Arts in Healthcare" Drama, Narrative, Collage and Performance Methodologies in Health" (Introductory) sponsored by CCAHTE, Canadian Creative Arts in Health, Training and Education, will be held again at The Windermere Manor, London, Ontario on Saturday October 20. Using drama and expressive methods as well as writing, collage and narrative approaches professionals have an opportunity to participate in an experiential group process while communicating stories through therapeutic drama, collage, narrative and group performances.

The day training session introduces expressive methods which can be effectively integrated into the healthcare setting as well as being helpful in field study ("Performing the Field") while also offering professionals a deeply creative opportunity for group self expression and regeneration.

Facilitator: Cheryl McLean M.A., Educator, Therapist, Dramatist,

Publisher, Editor CCAHTE Journal

Pre-registration is currently underway until Sept. l.

Pre-registration fee $120, after Sept. l $135

Register: http://www.cmclean.com/images/CCAHTE-workshop-form.pdf

For Information about Windermere Manor, London http://www.windermeremanor.com/index.htm


email: ccahte@cmclean.com
website: http://www.cmclean.com/