Healthy Peninsula has been chosen as one of six organizations nationwide to pilot a community-based Successful Aging Creativity Circle. This is one of two pilots occurring in Maine and will be focused on rural communities. The other Maine-based pilot will be in Scarborough. The additional four pilot projects will be conducted in Metro Chicago and New York City.
The Successful Aging Creativity Circle is a program from The UnLonely Project, the signature initiative of the Foundation for Art & Healing (FAH). FAH was founded by Dr. Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH, and was started as a creative arts trauma recovery program for 911 survivors and military veterans. The UnLonely Project seeks to raise awareness about loneliness and social isolation, reduce stigma around these issues, and develop programming to foster connection.
The goal of the Successful Aging Creativity Circle pilot is to test a program designed to help older adults manage a variety of age-related challenges, such as making friends as we age, finding ways to feel resilient, keeping the brain and body healthy, managing stress, and taking time for self-care. Using a support group model, the program offers ten to twelve participants weekly meetings over a seven-week period, where they engage in facilitator-led group sessions that offer an innovative blend of mindfulness, creative arts expression, and social-emotional learning. These three components combine to help participants share personal experiences and reflections, gain skills, and feel more connected to themselves and those around them.
The pilot will begin in late September and will be held in Deer Isle. It is sponsored by Healthy Peninsula and their Age-Friendly Coastal Communities project, in partnership with Healthy Island Project. Rene Colson-Hudson will be facilitating the group. Snacks, drinks, and materials will be provided.
If you are over 65, live on the Blue Hill Peninsula or Deer Isle, and are interested in participating, you are welcome to join the pilot! For more information or to join this incredible opportunity to get connected and be part of a fun and innovative nationwide project, please contact info@healthypeninsula.org or director@healthyislandproject.org