Visible Voices: Expressive arts with isolated seniors using trained volunteers

Abstract

This practice-based paper describes an innovative program from Ontario, Canada that explored the potential for volunteer-facilitated expressive arts to contribute to the well-being of socially isolated rural seniors. Inspired by Arts on Prescription initiatives in the UK and coordinated by a Registered Expressive Arts Consultant/Educator, the program involved eight older volunteers and eight older participants engaged in a 10-week series of one-on-one intermodal art-making activities in the participants’ homes and institutional settings in 2009–2010. An evaluation of the program design and implementation is presented and the challenges and opportunities of expressive arts with isolated seniors using trained volunteers are discussed.

Connecting Socially Isolated Older Rural Adults with Older Volunteers through Expressive Arts

“…Permission to use their names connected to their artwork for use in public installations was acquired with informed consent; however, only pseudonyms are used in the reporting of the research results and in related publications and presentations. The volunteer training, matching of volunteers to participants and full description and evaluation of the program, a 10-week series of one-on-one intermodal art-making in the participants’ homes and institutional settings is discussed in a companion article (Wilkinson et al, 2013).…”

“…In order to extend the impact of art-making to support expression of the self in relation to others, expressive arts amplify personal expression by using different modalities whereby the focus is as much on the creative process as it is on the final outcome or product (Wilkinson et al, 2013). In addition, arts-based participatory inquiry methods are most empowering for participants when designed to address relevant research questions (Fraser & Al Saya, 2011; Leavy, 2009).…”

“…The program objectives were threefold: (1) to train and enable older volunteers to engage in meaningful expressive arts activities with socially isolated older adults; (2) to give isolated older adults the opportunity to engage with others through expressive arts activities; and (3) to provide researchers the opportunity to understand the role of volunteer-based expressive arts experiences in a rural home setting. The latter objective is the focus of this article, with a practice-oriented overview of the first two objectives discussed in Wilkinson et al (2013).…”

The Meaning of a Visual Arts Program for Older Adults in Complex Residential Care

“…Fraser, Bungay, and Munn-Giddings (2014) showed that participatory visual arts (i.e., clay modelling and painting) resulted in increased levels of engagement for older adults in residential care. Wilkinson et al (2013) found an expressive arts program gave isolated seniors in rural communities and institutional settings an opportunity to “learn about the aging process, open doors to new perceptions and increased confidence” (p. 234).…”

“…Yet there is increasing recognition that professionally taught arts programs can offer significant benefits for reducing social isolation, increasing self-esteem, and providing participants with a sense of empowerment (Camic, 2008; Roos & Malan, 2012). In a study of a professionally taught arts program in a long-term care facility, Wilkinson, MacLeod, Skinner, and Reid (2013) found an improvement in participant well-being, creative expression, and sense of meaning. This finding emerged from an analysis of field notes, weekly logs kept by program volunteers, transcripts of volunteer debriefing meetings, and program evaluation questionnaires which were completed by both volunteers and participants.…”