And now more good news.

Thanks to Museum London support and sponsorship, over 120 participants signed up for the second annual and very successful Building Digital Bridges Virtual Symposium held in February 2022. The idea of a regional arts and culture network emerged that would include organizations and service providers in the Southwestern Ontario region.

Thanks to community partners and sponsors, we’ll be bringing back onsite programs through the spring, summer and fall. The Creative Arts and Wellness Project funded by Employment and Social Development Canada has a start date of March 23rd 2022. The funding provides more opportunities to expand creative arts programming to low-income older adults living in social housing and non-profit housing communities.

Our digital transition will continue as we develop more online programs for older adults. Our key network members and volunteers continue to learn and practice digital skills to allow us to continue to build and expand our online Create @ Home community programming and networks.

Kathy Smith has been working with Jen Tindall from Art Your Service to promote the benefits of creativity in the aging process through regular online webinars. Creative activities and involvement in the arts can provide regular opportunities for socializing as well, and social engagement in later years is particularly important when it comes to mental health for seniors. Read: The Physical and Mental Health Benefits of Creativity for Older Adults.

Art Studio Update: because of the pandemic and unpredictable variants, we’ll delay setting up a new community art studio until the spring of 2023. Our advisory committee thought we might be wise to wait a bit longer before we expend more resources for a new community resource.

______________________________________________________________________________________

The United Nations World Health Organization has designated 2021 – 2030 as the Decade of Healthy Aging. To support this global initiative, we continue to develop programs, activities and events to improve the overall health and wellbeing of older adults in our various communities.