Summary of what people told us... |
Public Engagement Cedar Hill Recreation Centre
Arts Group
Cedar Hill, Dance Troupe, Oct. 24, 2016. 7 respondents
Why are arts and culture important to older adults?
(arts = dance, music, visual arts, theatre, etc.)
How and why do you participate in
arts and culture?
What’s working for older adults in arts and culture?
What’s missing or could be improved in arts and culture?
Arts Group
Cedar Hill, Dance Troupe, Oct. 24, 2016. 7 respondents
Why are arts and culture important to older adults?
(arts = dance, music, visual arts, theatre, etc.)
- Fun, social connection, physical health, spiritual health, mental learning, emotional healing, most importantly to be creative some part of each day if possible feels very enlivening and positive. (see “Dance, choir, sing…” comments below for reasons)
- Stimulation of brain, body, energy – all needed to live life fully.
- They are stimulating, get you out of yourself, fight loneliness and anxiety, increase joy!
- Gets me out of being isolated and helps me overcome barriers and have them meet up with other people. Relationships end and so this is really a wonderful way to be with like-minded people
- To make them feel alive, to try different types of arts makes us feel happy.
- Keep active, good brain activity, to fight loneliness and boredom
- To have the brain working extra or overtime.
- Because it is important for older adults to keep involved with others, to keep active physically and mentally and to cultivate new interests
How and why do you participate in
arts and culture?
- Dance, choir, sing, play ukulele, play with clay and other creative fun with friends, write
- Because they improve and give meaning to my life
- I am in an informal dance class – it’s fun and makes me forget age and arthritis!
- I go to Zumba and art galleries and like to take in cultural activities as they are fun and there is learning.
- The 25 dollar fee for 6 weeks of art or 5 dollar drop-in fee for older adults that just started is really good.
- The dance on Tuesdays from 2-3:30 is free and that for older adults is good as well.
- To try different types of activities (eg Dance Days, festivals)
- Reasons above (Keep active, good brain activity, to fight loneliness and boredom) plus pleasure, to learn something new, to improve my life
- Because it broadens my perspectives and gives me a continuing interest in what is going on around me and keeps me active
What’s working for older adults in arts and culture?
- Lots of choices and variety for most part
- Not a lot! Some of it is too costly and too difficult to get to (can’t use a bicycle any longer)
- All of it, wonderful programs.
- Not sure
- The expense of some arts/cultural activities is hard.
- The things in early morning are difficult to get to
- Dance and other low-impact activities, socializing, new options for learning
- Music works wonders for memory and feeling better.
- Contact with others with similar interests. Keeping active in body and mind.
What’s missing or could be improved in arts and culture?
- Senior’s little theatre group, glee clubs for casual signing would be good
- Courses often cancelled for lack of #’s. They seem to be duplicated at times across our “cities”. More events/availability of classes like brain-dance which combines music, movement and brain work
- Clay work – handbuilding only classes
- How about an expressive arts experience – a buffet of creative activities for a few weeks running – fabulous fun.
- Maybe offer more focused workshops in watercolour or collage from time to time. Offer an annual Festival of the Arts where everyone participate, invite the public!
- More dance spaces
- More choices
- Because it broadens my perspectives and gives me a continuing interest in what is going on around me and keeps me active