OUR PROGRAMS
The Creative Aging Calgary is involved in offering programs that help facilitate and promote active and creative aging among older adults.
Our programs are subsidized for low-income senior populations. If you are a private facility that would like to host a pop-art program, please get in touch for pricing.
POP ART PROGRAM
This program is generously funded by the New Horizons for Seniors Grant from the Federal Government. We are able to connect low-income seniors with funding and resources to plan their own 6-week arts programming. This is exclusive to independent senior living buildings where they do not have social workers or recreational therapists on site.
The goal of this program is to access isolated seniors who may not have the financial or social means to participate in creative programming. This program is informed by the seniors choice and autonomy. They are able to brainstorm as a group and decide what type of creative activities they would like to create for their “Creative Aging Curriculum”. We then hire experts/artists/performers to facilitate the sessions.
It is a wonderful program to get the seniors out of their apartments and into the common area of the building. It reinvigorates their passion for creativity, allows them to build social bonds with their neighbours, and also discover something new. The feedback we have received for these programs include an increase sense of belonging, decrease isolation, increase in creativity and an overall better mental health.
Types of creative activities we have facilitated:
The Art of Japanese Moss Ball Plant Making by Cece Chow
Collaborative Mural
Garden Planting
Body Drumming
Trip to the National Music Centre
Trip to the Calgary Public Library
Tai Chi
Movie Night
Music Therapy with JB Music
Historic Calgary Tour
Intuitive Painting
Nature and Photo Walk
Bouquet Making
Creative Collage
Where we have hosted our Pop Art Program:
Silvera Willow Park on the Bow
Trinity Foundation Glenway Place
Trinity Foundation Parkview Place
Bethany Riverview
Clover Living
Trinity Foundation Carter Place
FOCUS on Seniors
Calgary Chinese Eldery Citizen Association
Ranchlands Community Association Seniors Club
Confederation 55+ Club
COLLABORATIVE MURAL PROGRAM
Every year we endeavour to create a collaborative mural with seniors from different senior buildings in Calgary. This activity is perfect for individuals with a variety of art skills and passion.
We hire a local artist to create the outline for the mural based on a theme the residents support, and then we cut the mural up into small canvas sizes for the seniors to paint a “piece” for themselves. This mural idea was spearheaded by local artist Jane Finlay.
Each senior paints the design as they see fit. Often times it is quite abstract, and it is a surprise how it will all come together! Once all the pieces are finished, they put them together to reveal a larger model that has a unique creative flare. We put the pieces together and you can either take your piece home, or if the building allows, to install it on the wall of the building.
We have hosted our Collaborative Mural Program at
Clover Living
Trinity Foundation Carter Place
Silvera Willow Park on the Bow
Carter Place
CREATIVE AGING ART CHANNEL
You can find a variety of videos on different artistic practices including painting, collage, laughter, with more to come.
This program is funded by the New Horizons for Seniors Grant. We are able to help local artists share their craft with Calgarians.
If you’d like to participate by sharing your artistic skills or talent, please fill out this form.
TIMESLIPS TRAINING
Creative Aging Calgary Society in partnership with The Alzheimer’s Association is proud to be a recognized trainer for the Timeslips Program. We are able to offer FREE training for any staff working with an elder population.
Every human being has the capacity to be creative. TimeSlips is an activity designed for persons with dementia to gain a role that they may have lost- that of Storyteller!
In having dementia, people experience a decline in memory and in other function, thereby forgetting their experiences or even how to put a familiar story in sequence. You will be trained in our method and learn joyful and easy ways to integrate creativity into their daily interactions and tasks, enriching their relationships with the elders they work with. Ideal for any organization serving older adults – libraries, museums, day centers, nursing homes, senior centers, etc.
TimeSlips was originally designed for people with cognitive disabilities like dementia.Organizations serving elders learn to infuse creative engagement into programming and build community with powerful creative projects.
Training is provided free of charge. It is offered online.
If you would like to register for timeslips training, please fill out this form.