Beginning this month, Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS) is hosting Opening Minds through Art (OMA) and Caregiver Support Groups at Maury River Senior Services on the first Tuesday of each month beginning at 1 p.m.
OMA is an internationally recognized abstract arts program designed for people living with dementia and other cognitive concerns. Each guided art project comes with a lesson that highlights famous abstract artists, the value of such work, and elements of various paintings that are replicated in OMA projects. There is sharing of each person’s creation at the end of each session, and the titles the artists give their paintings are often as imaginative as the art itself.
When we engage in art, whether it is observing it or participating in the creative process, we are lighting up numerous areas of the brain and enabling it to thrive. Like exercise for the body, art is exercise for the brain. For more information on the beautiful intersections between art and neuroscience and our overall wellbeing, check out the book “Your Brain on Art” by Susan Magasman and Ivy Ross.
OMA also teaches us that relationships that are positively built upon personcentered philosophies, the practice of autonomy, and a healthy dose of play can enliven volunteers and artists alike.
While artists engage in their guided activity, caregivers can visit with one another to engage in their own form of self-care. VPAS staff will lead a caregiver support group, facilitating discussion on topics such as: coping skills, communication, managing emotions, and planning for the future.
OMA and the Caregiver Support Group are offered at Maury River Senior Services in Buena Vista. To learn more, register, or ask about volunteering, call VPAS at (540) 261-7474.
