“On the Road” Updates

USA by Setyo Ari Wibowo from the Noun ProjectOctober 2018

Ed and Melinda Perez-Porter, J.D. Director, Relatives as Parents Program

On October 25, our Executive Director, Ed Friedman, delivered the opening Keynote Address, “Creative Aging in Community Settings” at the Brookdale Foundation Group’s 2018 Annual Conference held at the Marriott Hotel in Teaneck, New Jersey. The conference was attended by over 200 people representing organizations from 35 states.

The Group’s major initiatives are:

The National Group Respite Program supports community-based efforts to develop and sustain social model group respite and early memory loss programs for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families.

The Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP) promotes the creation or expansion of services for grandparents and other relatives who have taken on the responsibility of surrogate parenting.

The Brookdale Leadership in Aging Fellowship Program encourages and supports emerging leaders in the field of aging.

Ed talked about the benefits of Creative Aging with examples and anecdotes from Lifetime Arts’ 10 year history of delivering national, regional, and local capacity-building programs in urban, suburban, and rural settings. He also called on his own background working with caregivers to talk about the benefits to those who are caring for older adults.

The address and dinner were followed by two days of workshops and presentations designed to build the skills of organizations serving caregivers and their families.

November 2018

L to R: Laura Smith (NASAA); Ellen Michelson (Aroha Philanthropies); Beth Bienvenu (NEA); Pam Breux, (NASAA); Maura O'Malley (Lifetime Arts); Teresa Bonner (Aroha Philanthropies)
L to R: Laura Smith (NASAA); Ellen Michelson (Aroha Philanthropies); Beth Bienvenu (NEA); Pam Breux, (NASAA); Maura O’Malley (Lifetime Arts); Teresa Bonner (Aroha Philanthropies)

On November 3rd, Lifetime Arts’ CEO, Maura O’Malley, and Teresa Bonner, Executive Director of Aroha Philanthropies, presented a set of briefings at the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) 50th Anniversary Assembly in Baltimore.

Delegates learned about the why, what, and how of Creative Aging. The interactive sessions inspired tremendous interest, inquiries, and excitement about taking next steps at the state level.

Other recent events

Next,  the Lifetime Arts team was in Minneapolis on November 6-8 to train the first cohort of Seeding Vitality Arts in Museums, an initiative funded by Aroha Philanthropies and offered in partnership with the American Alliance of Museums and Lifetime Arts.

Finally, on November 14 in Baltimore, Lifetime Arts led a pre-conference workshop at the National Guild for Community Arts Education’s 81st Annual Conference.