| Why Creative Retirement? | | | | foremost expert on neuroanatomy, has done |
| Many 55+ people will be retiring in the next decade | | | | extensive research on the effects of the |
| and they will be making choices to keep vital and | | | | environment on the brain. She says, "The brain is |
| young by learning new skills and exercising their minds | | | | truly a phenomenal structure, and keeping it healthy |
| as well as their bodies. There is a growing need to | | | | for our entire existence on this earth is a goal we |
| address the well being of this aging population. | | | | can and should all aspire to." (Marian C. Diamond, |
| Programs, curriculums, support groups and community | | | | "Successful Ageing of the Healthy Brain," article |
| centers can help fulfill this need by informing, | | | | presented at the Conference of the American |
| invigorating and strengthening creative skills and plying | | | | Society on Aging and The National Council on the |
| the use of the "whole brain." | | | | Aging, March 10, 2001, New Orleans, LA. First Join |
| Who Are These Retirees? | | | | Conference). She advocates, five anti-aging factors |
| From the "Retirement Source Book" written by Mary | | | | significant because of recent scientific validation: Diet, |
| Helen and Shuford Smith, comes this timely | | | | Exercise, Challenge, Newness and Human Love. |
| statement: (It is) "important to refresh your mind and | | | | According to James E. Zull, Professor of Biology and |
| body, do things you enjoy, develop new interest and | | | | Director of the University Center for Innovation in |
| become involved with things you like. Take | | | | Teaching and Education at Case Western Reserve |
| advantage of this time in your life. Retire TO | | | | University, the brain physically changes when we learn |
| something! Here are some activities grouped by | | | | and the biggest changes are caused by emotion. The |
| concepts: Rest and relaxation, self-expression, social | | | | chemicals of emotion, such as adrenalin, serotonin and |
| activity, continued learning, mental activity, | | | | dopamine modify the synapses and this is the very |
| contemplation, physical activity and travel." | | | | act of learning. Zull states that the arts trigger |
| The New Horizons for Learning is a Seattle-based | | | | emotions, changing the brain of both the creator and |
| organization which studies and researches educational | | | | the consumer of the created object. Practice also |
| improvement initiatives for all ages. From its website | | | | changes the synapses, he says. "We learn things we |
| comes this statement, "As our population ages, it is | | | | repeat the most. But we repeat the things that we |
| interesting to note that many people who would in | | | | care about. So we enjoy the arts and repeat them |
| the past have been considered "old" do not feel or | | | | over and over. This intensity of effort and focus is |
| behave in that way. Many continue to take courses | | | | healthy for learning. It also changes the brain." He |
| at universities, community college, and community | | | | concludes that creativity, based on decisions made |
| centers. Many are becoming conscious of ways to | | | | by the creator, release chemicals that make us feel |
| keep mentally, emotionally and physically healthy and | | | | rewarded for our creative efforts. " Freedom and |
| young | | | | ownership are part and parcel of the neurochemistry |
| Retirement Demographics | | | | of the arts." |
| Retirement is a multi-million dollar business. In the year | | | | Another perspective is submitted by Dee Dickinson, |
| 2000, there were 600 million people aged 60 and | | | | in an article for New Horizons in Learning called |
| over. There will be 1.2 billion by 2025 and 2 billion by | | | | "Learning Through the Arts." "We cultivate a lively |
| 2050. Today, about two thirds of all older people live | | | | and honest curiosity for the world. We begin to ask |
| in the developing world. By 2025 it will be 75%. In the | | | | why." "The development of curiosity and wonder |
| developed world, the very old (age 80+) is the | | | | creates a personal and social consciousness that is |
| fastest growing population group. Over seven | | | | necessary for living in our culturally diverse world. By |
| thousand Americans will turn sixty each day in 2006 | | | | setting students on a lifelong journey with the arts, |
| (about three hundred and thirty an hour). It is a fact | | | | we encourage ongoing, informed perception, |
| that sixty-eight percent of retirees go back to work, | | | | appreciation and relationship with the people of the |
| either because they want to or they have to | | | | world." |
| because of money or health insurance needs | | | | Mental Training |
| The Golden Years? | | | | In an article, "Optimizing Memory in the Adult Brain |
| Gated community advertisements portray the | | | | for Effectiveness in a Multitasking Society," Donalee |
| retirement dream: a luxurious paradise inhabited by | | | | Marcus writes, " Why then are the "baby boomers" |
| happy couples playing golf or tennis, adjourning to an | | | | (age 40+)-who are still actively engaged at work and |
| exclusive on site club, of relaxing in a spacious hot | | | | in their communities, who recognize the value of |
| tub in a faux European villa. And this vision works, to | | | | good nutrition and healthy lifestyle-crowding into |
| a point. But it is a cosmetic vision that does not | | | | classrooms to learn how to remember strings of |
| address the specific needs of many retirees. | | | | numbers and never forget a face or name? More |
| Although the leisurely trappings are there, it may | | | | than simple vanity and the refusal to grow old, these |
| take time for a retiree to settle into retirement. | | | | high-functioning, high-energy participants recognize |
| Many, especially those who have worked at a job all | | | | the demands that our multitasking society of instant |
| for a good part of their life, will find it difficult to | | | | messages and global networks makes on them. Their |
| accept recreation as their new lifestyle. | | | | refusal to be left behind and "put out to pasture" had |
| So what is important to consider in retirement years? | | | | lead to additional studies on the effectiveness of |
| Many retirees begin to feel restless after a few | | | | training the adult brain to function better and |
| months in the retirement residence of their dreams. | | | | remember more clearly." Marcus concludes that, |
| Why? More than likely, they are out of touch with | | | | "Mental training that employs visualization is crucial in |
| themselves. After years of having outside forces | | | | developing the agility to use the information we |
| dictate their lives: jobs and raising a family, they are, | | | | remember in productive ways. Because the modern |
| confronted by large periods of leisure time, required | | | | world demands more of us, we should not settle for |
| to turn inward and discover themselves. | | | | less that the optimal use of our brains." |
| Know Thyself | | | | Reflexivity |
| Successful retirement is achieved when one | | | | Regarding the benefits of reflection, Charles D. |
| becomes, through introspection, re-acquainted with | | | | Hayes, a lifelong learning advocate, author and |
| dreams, desires and goals set, perhaps, in a younger | | | | publisher, writes, "We should expunge the word |
| time when the mind was in learn mode and life was | | | | retirement from common parlance and replace it with |
| simpler. There were, no doubt, certain things, long | | | | R and R: reflection and reflexivity. Imagine what a |
| forgotten that were motivational. Was it drawing? | | | | different perspective advanced years would bring to |
| Painting? Planting a garden? Playing street games? | | | | society if, instead of saying we were looking forward |
| Building a house? Writing a book? | | | | to retirement, we said we were eager to begin our |
| Giving and Enjoying | | | | years of reflection eager to sort the truth of our |
| For many retirees, a combination of volunteer or | | | | experience from society's fictions. Reflexivity is a |
| outreach involvement and creative activities such as | | | | turning back into one's experience to retake bearing |
| painting, sculpture, dancing, tennis or golf produces an | | | | and re-examine one's coordinates. If the autumn |
| enriched, fulfilling retirement. The Internet is a | | | | years begin at 50, real education begins in |
| wonderful resource for local groups in many areas of | | | | September." |
| these specific interests. | | | | Artful Life Program Benefits |
| An Artful Life Program | | | | Planned for retirement communities and seniors, An |
| Retirement for this aging population can be either | | | | Artful Life Program can enrich the offerings to |
| mean resignation, retreat and withdrawal from life, or | | | | seniors in a variety of sites, locations, addressing the |
| it can be forward-thinking, up beat or optimistic. It is | | | | needs of a broad range of participants yet remaining |
| at this point that many begin to examine their life in a | | | | an invigorating, inspiring and satisfying experience in |
| new way, looking back at what they have | | | | the lives of many. |
| accomplished and seeing a new future in which they | | | | The Need For An Artful Life Program |
| can finally do what they've always wanted to do. | | | | At present, there is no service that offers this |
| With the empty nest and retirement at hand, many | | | | creative package in any retirement communities, |
| will be freed from the demands of a work schedule | | | | assisted living facilities or community colleges. |
| and family, ready to pursue interests and endeavors | | | | Although art classes are offered, The Artful Life |
| that have been put off for decades. It is a fact that | | | | presents a much broader range of educative |
| sixty-eight percent of retirees go back to work, | | | | initiatives, including large motor movement and |
| either because they want to or they have to | | | | breathing exercises at the beginning of each class |
| because of money or health insurance needs. The | | | | session, group projects involving movement through |
| Artful Life Program can provide an educative and | | | | drawing and painting with music, lectures on creative |
| satisfying alternative to those wanting to return to | | | | thinking and problem solving, visits to artists studios, |
| the old work schedule. However, for those required | | | | learning the skills of critique, visits to museums and |
| to do so, The Artful Life Program can inform, | | | | galleries and lectures on historical and contemporary |
| invigorate and strengthen their lives, augmenting their | | | | art. The goal of The Artful Life Program is that |
| working schedule with creativity and plying the use of | | | | through learning and experiencing the full scope of |
| the "whole brain." | | | | the artful life, students will enhance their physical, |
| How An Artful Life Program Works | | | | mental and spiritual capacities. And this leads to a |
| Marian Diamond, professor of anatomy and a | | | | healthier spirit and a longer life. |