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Symposium

Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education

Opening Minds Through Art: Creating University Partnerships Through an Adaptive Intergenerational Art Program

Friday, November 15, 2024
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM PST
Location: Room 616
CE: 1.5

    Chair(s)

  • Amy Elliot, PhD (she/her/hers)

    Interim Director Opening Minds through Art
    Scripps Gerontology Center
    Miami University
    Oxford, Ohio, United States

    Slides

    • Discussant(s)

  • Katherine Abbott, PhD, FGSA, MGS (she/her/hers)

    Executive Director, Scripps Gerontology Center Professor, Department of Sociology & Gerontology
    Scripps Gerontology Center
    Miami University's
    Oxford, Ohio, United States

    • Individual Symposium Abstract First Author(s)

  • Dawn Carr, PhD, FGSA (she/her/hers)

    Director, Claude Pepper Center
    Claude Pepper Center/Sociology
    Florida State University
    Tallahassee, Florida, United States

  • DB

    Diane Berish, PhD

    Associate Research Professor
    Nese College of Nursing
    The Pennsylvania State University
    University Park, Pennsylvania, United States

  • Meghan Young, MGS

    Associate Director, OMA
    Scripps Gerontology Center
    Miami University
    Oxford, Ohio, United States

  • Krysta Peterson (she/her/hers)

    Assistant Director of Opening Minds through Art (OMA)
    Scripps Gerontology Center
    Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University
    North Royalton, Ohio, United States

Opening Minds through Art (OMA) is an award-winning, evidence-based, intergenerational art-making program for people living with dementia. Developed in 2007 at Miami University’s Scripps Gerontology Center, the program is grounded in person-centered care principles and serves the vital need for people living with dementia to engage in creative expression and social connection. The current impact of OMA includes engagement through 1,100 trained facilitators in over 300 communities spanning 37 states and internationally. As a university-based program, OMA has maintained a focus on research with thirteen peer-reviewed studies to support the program’s impact on younger and older participants in areas such as more empathetic attitudes for other generations, improved mood, and increased engagement. Core to OMA’s success are relationships with 30 universities in the U.S. and globally. Through these partnerships, students engage with OMA through academic and service-learning opportunities to fortify their understanding of the aging process and empathy for older generations. Universities also benefit through community support and participation. The success of these programs is highly dependent on OMA’s ability to adapt to each university’s resources, programmatic interests, and community partnerships. This symposium will describe variations of OMA programming at three universities including work with health trainees at Penn State University, a student internship program at Florida State University, and the first and longest running OMA program including an innovative virtual variation at Miami University. Katy Abbott will lead a discussion of implementation, internal evaluation, and research components across programs and will explore future implications for university-based growth and adaptations.

Learning Objectives:

  • After attending the session, participants will be able to describe the components of OMA programming as an educational and service-learning opportunity in university settings.
  • After attending the session, participants will be able to list the benefits of OMA for students, older adults, universities, and community partners and will be able to provide evidence-based examples of impact through the internal evaluation findings of presenting programs.
  • After attending the session, participants will be able define potential adaptations of OMA and to explain implementation considerations for program coordinators in university settings.

Presentations:

  • 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM PST
    Launching a New University-Based Opening Minds Through Arts Program

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Dawn C. Carr, PhD, FGSA (she/her/hers) – Florida State University

  • 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM PST
    Impact of OMA on Health Care Trainee Attitudes and Perceptions Toward People Living With Dementia

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Diane Berish, PhD – The Pennsylvania State University

  • 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM PST
    Creating Connections Between People Living With Dementia and Volunteers Through Art

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Meghan Young, MGS – Miami University

  • 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM PST
    Engaging Older and Younger People Virtually Through the Arts

    Individual Symposium Abstract First Author: Krysta Peterson (she/her/hers) – Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University