arts & business council

MetLife Foundation National Arts Forums Series

Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia
The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Leveraging the Arts for a Creative Future
03/14/2007

Moderator: Dick Goldberg, Director of Coming of Age

Presentation by Gene Cohen, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Center on Aging, Health & Humanities at George Washington University

Panelists:

• Laura Burnham, Executive Director, Abington Arts Center
• Dr. Gordon B. Fink, M.D., retiree and member, Settlement Music School's Adult Chamber Players
• Diane Melley, Director, IBM Corporate Community Relations and On Demand Community

This forum focused on studies that show the direct correlation between creative expression and healthy aging. Attendees heard from nationally recognized speaker, Gene Cohen, M.D., Ph. D, director of the Center on Aging, Health & Humanities at the George Washington University, who shared his research findings about how older adults who participate in professionally-led community arts programs experienced improved health, fewer doctor visits, better mental health, and less medication use. Overall, individuals who enhanced their creative skills experienced a greater vitality later in life.

A panel discussion followed addressing how businesses and arts organizations can work together, and even form new partnerships to engage the older population. Laura Burnham from Abington Arts Center focused on how arts managers can develop new programming for older individuals attracting a new audience and even new funding streams. Diane Melley from IBM discussed the importance of meaningful exit strategies for businesses to consider for their retiring workforce, and Dr. Gordon Fink spoke from the point of view of a retiree who is fully engaged in the arts and what it has meant to him in his life.

The greater Philadelphia region is a large and diverse region with many arts centers and a wide variety of classes and activities from which to choose. Laura Burnham from Abington Arts Center discussed how arts managers can develop new programming for older individuals. Participatory arts programs for aging adults need not be "seniors only" programs: older adults may choose to enroll in adult arts classes or programs that are not specifically aimed at seniors. Intergenerational programs, reading programs for example, pair seniors with young children to benefit everyone. Active, engaged, older adults help to change negative perceptions about aging; they serve as role models for middle-aged adults, younger adults, and children; and they help to shift the conversation from the problems of aging to the potential of aging.
 
In addition, this region is strong in industries that may be predisposed to think about this issue such as healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Philadelphia is fortunate to have to large corporations, IBM and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, with strong preretirement programs that can serve as models for other companies.

Diane Melley from IBM discussed the importance of meaningful exit strategies for the retiring workforce. IBM's goals are to provide meaningful exit strategies for their employees so that they leave IBM feeling cared for and positive about the company. Another benefit to IBM is that, from a public relations perspective, their retirees serve as ambassadors for the company. At IBM, it is understood that making these connections for employees takes time and effort and needs to begin at preretirement in order for these plans to have the maximum impact. IBM sees this effort as part of their commitment to communities, as their retirees are very active and involved in volunteer activities throughout the world.

Employers are also in a position to spread the word about the health benefits of participatory arts programs to employees who are near (or past) retirement age. Because most employers subsidize health care insurance for employees, and many continue to provide health benefits for retirees, they have a vested interest in promoting health and wellness to active employees as well as retirees.

Given the dramatic increase in retirees anticipated as the boomer generation ages, the current infrastructure for community-based arts programs for adults may not be able to support the demand for services in the near future. Facilities, transportation, affordability of programs, and outreach to homebound seniors are some of the areas community-based arts organizations will need to address to better serve an aging population.

Demonstrated benefits of participatory arts programs for adults can lead to a shift in funding for community-based arts centers and programs; as one panelist noted, community arts centers are currently "at the bottom of the funding food chain" and receive far less support from foundations, governments, and corporate funders than arts organizations with higher profiles. If community-based programs can demonstrate the role they play in improving the health and overall quality of life for aging adults, they may be able to generate additional public and private support. A public education/awareness campaign with credible expert spokespersons could generate considerable interest in community-based arts programs for adults.

Pennsylvania has one of the oldest populations in the country with one in every five people over the age of 60. With the growing number of older adults and prospective retirees, there is a significant opportunity for increased civic engagement that can have profound rewards for both the individual and their community.