CREATIVITY FOR OLDER PERSONS - PHILIP
The World Health Organization, says, “Well-being is not just the absence of disease or illness. It’s a complex combination of a person’s physical, mental, emotional and social health factors. Well-being is strongly linked to happiness and life satisfaction. In short, well-being could be described as how you feel about yourself and your life.”
https://www.who.int/health-topics/ageing#tab=tab_1
The Newcastle University, NSW suggest aging is all a matter of the challenge being in our minds! https://www.newcastle.edu.au/hippocampus/story/2022/creative-ageing-its-all-in-your-mind.
Illawarra Retirement Trust, ‘Being Creative As We Age:
Creatively, picking up a paintbrush, dusting off the dancing shoes and having a laugh can help to improve our health and well-being as we age. Their website is here:
https://www.irt.org.au/the-good-life/being-creative-as-we-age/.
SOME CREATIVE SUGGESTIONS
Globally, many of us who are now older adults [55+] may now have more opportunities to engage in various creative pursuits. This could include starting a new hobby, becoming a local community volunteer. If your circumstances allow, you could even start a new career or similar adventure.
Anyone can be creative; you don’t have to be a genius. Consider the following potential creative options: making furniture, pursuing crafts, learning a new language, restoring an old car, joining a men//woman's shed, a local Probus club, a school for Seniors, an adult education class, drama/dance/or music ensemble. For health and well-being, consider beginner’s tai chi, or yoga, even line dancing. Why not write your own life story?
MORE RESOURCE INFORMATION
In 2003 my wife and I joined the Riverside Arts Club, Lindisfarne, Tasmania - a local singing /drama/social group. Later I formed ‘Act Your Age ’, a seniors’ Community Theatre group [2006-12]. We performed around Hobart at various senior-related venues, using handheld script books. Performances were humorously developed around a theme of seniors’ issues. My wife and I have a disabled son, supported by a local disability group. In 2015, we joined its ‘Acorn Committee.’ As part of our fundraising activities, we provided morning tea and entertainment by the committee and friends. Our community audiences averaged around 120 people each time. Creatively, the Acorn Players can be seen here: https://www.roganbrown.au/acorn-players.
My wife and also became volunteer members of Hobart Repertory Theatre Society. We also performed in a one-act play together. Opportunities arose to work both on and offstage. Personally, a memorable theatre highlight performance was playing Corporal Jones in the Hobart Reps production of “Dad’s Army” in 2019; creatively, see the images here: https://www.roganbrown.au/dads-army-2019.
We both now live in a retirement village, and have formed a play-reading group with other residents. At an occasional Friday night social, holding hand-held scripts, we performed for the other residents at the village.
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