The Creative Aging Calgary is involved in offering programs that help facilitate and promote active and creative aging among older adults.

Our programs are subsidized for low-income senior populations. If you are a private facility that would like to host a pop-art program, please get in touch for pricing.

Our programs are made possible thanks to your tax-deductible donations. Make a donation today to keep our programs running!

This program is generously funded by the New Horizons for Seniors Grant from the Federal Government. We are able to connect low-income seniors with funding and resources to plan their own 6-week arts programming. This is exclusive to independent senior living buildings where they do not have social workers or recreational therapists on site.

The goal of this program is to access isolated seniors who may not have the financial or social means to participate in creative programming. This program is informed by the seniors choice and autonomy. They are able to brainstorm as a group and decide what type of creative activities they would like to create for their “Creative Aging Curriculum”. We then hire experts/artists/performers to facilitate the sessions.

It is a wonderful program to get the seniors out of their apartments and into the common area of the building. It reinvigorates their passion for creativity, allows them to build social bonds with their neighbours, and also discover something new. The feedback we have received for these programs include an increase sense of belonging, decrease isolation, increase in creativity and an overall better mental health.

 

Collaborative Mural Program

Every year we endeavour to create a collaborative mural with seniors from different senior buildings in Calgary. This activity is perfect for individuals with a variety of art skills and passion.

We hire a local artist to create the outline for the mural based on a theme the residents support, and then we cut the mural up into small canvas sizes for the seniors to paint a “piece” for themselves. This mural idea was spearheaded by local artist Jane Finlay.

Each senior paints the design as they see fit. Often times it is quite abstract, and it is a surprise how it will all come together! Once all the pieces are finished, they put them together to reveal a larger model that has a unique creative flare. We put the pieces together and you can either take your piece home, or if the building allows, to install it on the wall of the building.

 

Art Kits for Seniors

As a response to the COVID-19 Pandemic and an effort to decrease isolation of seniors that could no longer visit with loved ones or attend social or recreational activities, we created the Art Kit program.

All the art kits include everything you need to paint a painting of your choice. We include step by step instructions but we encourage the senior to paint whatever they like.

These Art Kits are graciously funded by the New Horizons for Seniors Grant and individual donors like yourself. If you’d like to donate, please click here.

Art kits are first come first serve. We also filmed YouTube videos you can follow along with for ease.

Any organization or individual may request an art kit. The quantities are limited.

 

Creative Aging Art Channel

In 2021 we created our first video for our Creative Aging Art Channel on Youtube!

You can find a variety of videos on different artistic practices including painting, collage, laughter, with more to come.

This program is funded by the New Horizons for Seniors Grant. We are able to help local artists share their craft with Calgarians.

If you’d like to participate by sharing your artistic skills or talent, please fill out this form.

 

Timeslips Training

Creative Aging Calgary Society in partnership with The Alzheimer’s Association is proud to be a recognized trainer for the Timeslips Program. We are able to offer FREE training for any staff working with an elder population.

Every human being has the capacity to be creative. TimeSlips is an activity designed for persons with dementia to gain a role that they may have lost- that of Storyteller!

In having dementia, people experience a decline in memory and in other function, thereby forgetting their experiences or even how to put a familiar story in sequence. You will be trained in our method and learn joyful and easy ways to integrate creativity into their daily interactions and tasks, enriching their relationships with the elders they work with. Ideal for any organization serving older adults – libraries, museums, day centers, nursing homes, senior centers, etc.

TimeSlips was originally designed for people with cognitive disabilities like dementia.Organizations serving elders learn to infuse creative engagement into programming and build community with powerful creative projects.

Training is provided free of charge. It is offered online.

If you would like to register for timeslips training, please fill out this form.