MORGANTOWN — If you had the opportunity to portray your life story through movement, music, visual art and storytelling, what would it look like? What would it sound like?
What if you could share this experience with new friends you made during the eight-week, step-by-step process?
Could it change your life, your mood, your health?
Debbie Palmer, Arts and Wellness Manager at BOPARC, wants to help a group of 14 seniors – over the age of 70 – answer these questions as part of the Leisure Committee’s new Creative Aging initiative.
The free program will take place every Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Wiles Hill Community Center starting September 25.
Palmer said the purpose is twofold: to provide a resource for seniors who are increasingly at risk of social isolation and to collect, process and present the stories of our community’s elders.
“It’s a kind of therapeutic program to reach people who need something. They need interaction and social contact, and it’s also a celebratory program to celebrate the lives of these people and to affirm that their lives were and continue to be important,” she said. “We should listen to them. We should enjoy their stories and learn from them.”
According to the National Institute of Health, social isolation and loneliness are serious but under-recognized public health risks that affect about a quarter of all community-dwelling Americans ages 65 and older.
In addition, the NIH reports indicate that social isolation and loneliness are associated with a significant increase in the risk of dementia and premature death of all types.
Each of the activities included in the weekly program – socializing, exercise, storytelling, visual arts, etc. – focuses on the memories and experiences of the participants.
At the end of the eight-week process, the hope is to open the Debora D. Palmer Gallery at the Wiles Hill Community Center to celebrate the art and its inspiration.
Angela Dennis, co-founder of Cheat Lake’s Umbrella Arts, will be among the faculty members in the Creative Aging program.
“We want the whole community to see what’s happening here and see the value and think, ‘Oh, my grandma would love to do something like this.’ We think it’s important work and it’s special to do something and show it to people,” Dennis said.
“I think a lot of people of all ages, but especially older people, think that things are out of their reach, especially if they have physical limitations. We want everyone to see that this is not the case.”
Criteria for the program include residency in the greater Morgantown area, being at least 70 years old, and having transportation to the community center on Eureka Drive.
Participants must be able to take part in light physical activity and attend all eight weeks as the sessions build on each other.
The free program, which includes lunch each week, is supported by the BOPARC Foundation.
For more information, including a registration form, visit boparc.org.
You can also register by phone at 304-296-8356.
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