Adding Life to Years Through the Creative Arts

The research on creativity and healthy aging is compelling. CALL knows this - evidenced by its many creativity-based programs. A group of individuals knew this same thing when they formed CACS (Creative Aging Calgary Society) in 2009. In this month’s blog, the founding members of CACS share their story of starting this creativity focused, non-profit helping seniors engage in creative activities and opportunities.

Rewriting the Narrative - Aging as a Time of Growth

In a previous Blog post, Gerontological Care Matters A Snapshot of Early Programs in Calgary several colleagues joined me to reminisce about the development of Geriatric/Gerontological Nursing in Calgary. While Geriatrics and Gerontology have made a significant contribution to the health of seniors, these disciplines tend to have a reductionist view of aging. The focus tends to be: What common diseases occur and how can they be diagnosed and treated? What physical/emotional/social concerns do seniors face and how can society address these?

By contrast, Dr. Gene Cohen was interested in looking at potential beyond problems.  His ground-breaking research showed the impact of creativity in aging to quality of life and physiological well-being. (The Creativity and Aging Study)

“There is no denying the problems that accompany aging. But what has been universally denied is the potential. The ultimate expression of potential is creativity.”   
Dr. Gene Cohen, The Creative Age: Awakening Human Potential in the Second Half of Life. 

Creative Arts and Healthy Aging

"Creative arts are a form of expression not bound by language. They involve skill, imagination and inspiration." Eden

Increasingly, science is providing evidence for what we already know. The creative arts are good for us.

CALL (Calgary Association of Lifelong Learners) has known this from its beginning. This is witnessed in the area of Arts and Culture within CALL. These Interest Group programs include making music (CALL of the Uke and Guitar Jam); enjoying various arts by attending live theatre, opera, orchestra performances, cinema, and art galleries; and engaging in creating art through pursuits such as stitchery, sketching, Zentangle, and drawing or design in an open studio program.

Stories from CALL Members

Stephen Shutt, a CALL member and a volunteer with Guitar Jam – a CALL Interest Group – described his experience of playing music with this group. Stephen shared the following positive benefits:

• Reading and learning lyrics has improved my memory
• Learning new songs has challenged my mind
• Engagement with others is a distraction from worries

Lifelong Listening: How Music Supports Healthy Aging

In Late Bloomers, we met three individuals who are exploring new interests in their later years.

Susan Wright has pursued her dream of becoming an author and has published four books since retiring from her career as chief legal officer of a multi-national corporation.

Patricia Morgan defines herself as a ’spunky seniorpreneur' who is exploring new avenues as a professional educator, presenter, and author.

Bill Mansell, a retired anesthesiologist, is now satisfying his insatiable appetite for pursuing things he could not do while working. This includes reading literature, philosophy, and politics. He joined the CALL poetry group: encouraged by Melvin Pasternak, who has had a long-standing passion for poetry.

Melvin agrees with the research that reading, writing, and speaking poetry can help support mental health.

"It can be a form of mindfulness practice. This meditative quality promotes relaxation, reduces stress responses and enhances feelings of emotional well-being." Melvin Pasternak

Appreciating Poetry and Mental Health

Creative Expression

"Creative expression is the ability to express ideas and emotions in artful ways that could include but is not limited to: drawing, painting, photography, singing, physical activity, music and movement, dance, writing, storytelling, drama, and cooking."

Creative Aging Calgary Society

Recently, Createquity reported that several studies found “the most compelling evidence of the value of the arts revolves around improving the lives of older adults. In particular, there is substantial causal evidence that participatory arts activities help to maintain the health and quality of life of older adults.

Benefits of engaging in creative expression for older adults:

• Sense of control empowerment and mastery
• Social engagement
• Positive attitude and zest of life
• Enhance cognitive and physical function
• Decrease reliance on certain medication
• Decrease sense of isolation
• Increase sense of wellbeing
• Health promotion; reduce risk factors for disease and disability

CACS: The Idea is Born

The Creative Aging Calgary Society (CACS) was formed in 2009. It was created by a small group of individuals who believed strongly in the work of Dr. Gene D. Cohen and his landmark study on the effects of arts participation on an aging population. In particular, his study revealed a positive impact on maintaining independence and on reducing dependency.

I asked the first president of the Society, Gail Hinchliffe and two of the founding members, Dianne McDermid (the second president) and Ralph Hubele to talk about starting CACS. 

Dianne McDermid described the origin of the idea for CACS:

As usual, Gail  [Hinchliffe] was the leader for the formation of the Creative Aging Calgary Society. She had this vision of changing the ’aging paradigm‘ from a time of physical, mental, and social decline, to a time of opportunity—a period of life when one has the opportunity and time to explore, test new limits, and grow—no longer constrained by responsibilities of child-rearing, work, etc.

Gail already had an extensive career in development, ownership, and operation of assisted living and memory care residences in Alberta. Combining that experience with her education in Gerontology, Gail was looking for ways to promote the opportunities associated with aging rather than the losses. She was influenced by the work of  Dr. Gene Cohen.

She recruited her colleagues, Ralph and myself [Dianne] to join her to form the Society which would focus on increasing awareness of the positive impact of professionally conducted creative programs on the physical health, mental health and social functioning of older adults.

To achieve this, we began with a symposium September 18, 2009 which introduced the concept of creative aging and provided snapshots of nineteen local arts and seniors initiatives. The goal was to open people's minds to the role creativity could play in changing the way we age.

The following year, 2010, the symposium included a workshop on how to develop creative aging programs, followed by concurrent workshops on art, drama, and music. Susan Perlstein, MSW, from the National Centre for Creative Aging in Washington DC, was the keynote speaker and a workshop leader at these events.

Dianne explained one of Susan Perlstein's programs:

Susan was originally from New York and played a key role in initiating and leading the Meet Me at MOMA program. One day a month, people with dementia and their care partners were invited to meet at the Museum of Modern Art. A specially trained art interpreter would walk the group through a part of the gallery. The goal was not to tell those present what the art piece represented. Instead, the individuals with dementia were asked questions about their impressions of the art piece—what did they think the artist was trying to say? What did they like most about the painting? If they were the artist—what might they do differently? Questions with no right or wrong answer, but that accessed the creative part of their brain. Care partners were often amazed that the individuals with dementia could have such insights and articulate their views when given the opportunity!

The third symposium, in 2012, featured two keynote speakers. One was Jeff Nachtigall, a practicing artist and artist-in-residence at Sherbrooke Community Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The second speaker was David Dworkin, a clarinetist and orchestra maestro, who, upon retiring, developed an innovative exercise program called  CONDUCTORCISE®

The symposium also included workshops on art forms as well as a showcase of seniors’ creative expression activities.

Dianne recalled the details of Jeff's presentation:

Jeff Nachtigall was a professional artist whose mission was to engage older adults and differently abled individuals in expressing themselves through art. For him, creating artwork was not about “painting tulips on Tuesday” but rather about reducing the boundaries and releasing one’s creative juices. One of his strategies was organizing a ’paint pour.’ He would mount a short post on a large piece of canvas, provide multiple colours of paint, and encourage individuals to choose their colour. Next, they would stand next to the post, and pour as much or as little paint over and along the post as they wanted. This would create a communal piece of art that was always novel.

He did a similar initiative at The Olympic Plaza in Calgary. This time he put paint on the wheels of a wheelchair. There was a huge canvas secured to the pavement. The person using the wheelchair was then encouraged to wheel the chair anywhere on the canvas that they chose— thus leaving their unique mark. Again, this was a ’community project.’

Dianne commented on the presentation by David Dworkin,  a clarinetist and orchestra maestro:

David Dworkin had been a symphony director during his career. Upon retiring, he realized that, though he had never engaged in a formal exercise program in his life, he was quite fit. He remained fit because of the physical antics involved in conducting the orchestra. He started an exercise program called “Conductorcise” that expanded to several U.S. locations. The fitness instructor used conductor-like moves to get participants moving and stretching to the music.

Dianne outlined the next two events:

Two more symposiums were held. In 2014 (May 1), CACS held the fourth Creative Aging Symposium, Hope, Aging and Creative Expression. The Symposium featured internationally renowned Ronna Jevne, PhD, as the keynote speaker and workshop leader. In addition to the keynote, six concurrent workshops featured a wide variety of creative expression activities aimed at showing how creative expression can be incorporated into one’s personal and professional life.

Our fifth Creative Aging Symposium, held in 2016 (May 16), was entitled Wellness, Aging & Creative Expression. It featured Dalia Gottlieb-Tanaka, PhD, a B.C. author, teacher and international speaker with expertise in dementia and creative expression. As usual, we featured concurrent sessions—eight of them to accommodate a high number of registrants.

Gail Hinchliffe reflected on the beginning of the Society (CACS):

Dr. Cohen’s research affirmed an aging process which formed the foundational principles for CACS. Furthermore, in my own aging, his words of counsel have been instrumental in forging my own creative journey. He had always stressed that an ageist society would focus on aging as a time of decline. His background in psychology and gerontology helped us understand that growth can continue - because of aging - not in spite of aging. Our later years can capitalize on decades of knowledge and perspectives developed through lived experience. My time as an undergrad student at Alberta University of the Arts and subsequent graduate student at University of Calgary became a lived experience of his research. Although my fellow students were a decade younger than my grandchildren, my lived experience brought a fresh perspective that added to enriched dialogues and insights.

Ralph Hubele has been a member of CACS since its beginning. He is a current Board Member. Ralph shared his thoughts:

I'm proud of the fact the Creative Aging Calgary Society continues to exist and offer opportunities to seniors to be exposed to creative activities and the accompanying socialization and stimulation. The Society also continues to underscore, in the community, the positive aspects of creativity in enhancing lives. I think we also promote the idea that creativity is not restricted to any one discipline but is more an approach to expand our thoughts about any enjoyable activity we participate in.

Looking Ahead

Ralph and Gail shared news of an upcoming event and the current state of CACS.

"CACS is currently in the planning stages for a symposium to be held in early 2027. The symposium will focus on enhancing creative activities for seniors, and is targeted to practitioners, caregivers, and seniors themselves." Ralph Hubele

"It is encouraging that CACS continues to flourish in our community. Participation in any creative endeavour builds confidence, demonstrates resilience, and provides a venue for us to continue contributing to our community." Gail Hinchliffe

Creative Aging Calgary Society issued a press release (April 16, 2026) describing a "Transformative Music and Arts Program for Seniors Across Calgary."  Read more about this innovative program. 

Join the Conversation

The best part of lifelong learning is sharing ideas. If you have comments, questions, or a personal story related to this post, I'd love to hear from you.  Please email Maureen info@calgarylifelonglearners.ca

Your feedback may inspire future CALL Blog posts.

Author

Maureen Osis

Maureen retired from her career -- first as a Gerontological Nurse and then a Marriage/Family Therapist in private practice working with mid-life and older adults. Maureen has published numerous articles and books, related to her professions. She is a member of CALL because she is passionate about learning. She is a volunteer with CALL, doing social media and the primary author of the Blog, because she likes to face new challenges.

Contributing Authors

Gail Hinchliffe continues her interest in testing new limits and growing through creativity. In her early 70s she embarked on a new journey. Wishing to see the world and her place in it through a new lens she graduated with a BFA (distinction) from the Alberta University of the Arts in 2022. This enlightened her to new ways of knowing influenced by Indigenous studies and ecological economics. Graduating with her MFA in 2024 from the University of Calgary, her research focuses on building relationship with the Land from a settler perspective. Gail is an active member of several art collectives through her medium of analog and digital photography.

Dianne McDermid is a retired nurse educator. During her formal working years, her area of focus was the study of older adults, including factors that contribute to decline in later years; seeing the positive side of aging; and strategies that enable people to live as healthily as possible for as long as possible. Her work settings included acute care, long-term care, academia, and assisted living. She participated in numerous community-based focus groups aimed at exploring strategies to support older adults. Dianne was a founding member of the Seniors Housing Forum Society as well as the Creative Aging Society, and served as president of each organization for several years. As she has aged herself, she has attempted to integrate these strategies into her own living environment. This includes careful consideration of her current housing arrangement, remaining physically and cognitively fit, and continuing to play a meaningful role in the community through volunteerism.

Ralph Hubele has worked in the field of seniors housing for almost 40 years. He holds bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Education; a Master’s Degree in Environmental Design; and an Advance Certificate in Gerontology. During his career, he has been involved in the development and delivery of a number of provincial programs that have helped to create a variety of affordable housing options for seniors in Alberta. He is retired from his position as the Senior Manager of Health and Housing Initiatives, Continuing Care Capital Programs, Health Facilities Planning Branch, with Alberta Health. He still remains committed to the idea of offering to those in senior households as many housing choices as possible as they age.

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References

Dr. Gene Cohen, The Creative Age: Awakening Human Potential in the Second Half of Life. 2000

In this fascinating, life-affirming book, Dr. Cohen debunks harmful myths about aging and illuminates the biological and emotional foundations of creative thought and expression. He offers compelling evidence that the unique combination of age, experience, and creativity can produce exciting inner growth and infinite potential for anyone.

Creative Aging Society Calgary (CACS)

Creative Aging Calgary Society is a Calgary-based, non-profit dedicated to improving the quality of life for older adults through accessible arts programming. By bringing music, creativity, and human connection into care settings, CACS fosters joy, dignity, and community for seniors across the city.

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