HHC seniors enjoy museum visit

West Hartford - Members of Hebrew Health Care’s Adult Day Services explored warmer climates as they viewed Hawaiian art and artifacts at the New Britain Museum of American Art.

The museum visitors, all artists from the Fresh Canvas: Alzheimer’s Arts Program toured the exhibits with their art therapy consultant and staff of the Hebrew Health Care Adult Day Center. The museum generously provided a free tour, and three docents took turns explaining the history, background, and elements of artwork from the 17th to the 20th century. After the tour, Mary Alice Landry, the Fresh Canvas consultant, led a lively discussion on and provided a positive opportunity for the participants to creatively express themselves.

The goal of Fresh Canvas is to allow participants to use the creative process involved in artistic expression to resolve conflicts, develop interpersonal skills, to reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness. “It amazes me,” said Charmaine Emond, recreation therapist at the Hebrew Health Care ADC, “that despite their significant memory deficits, the artwork they do often becomes the muse for our creative writing groups several days later.”

“When I’m with that group, I don’t think of my losses or symptoms; I’m just me,” said F.R., a member of the group. Since attending the Day Center at Hebrew Health Care, F.R. has blossomed and surpassed all expectations for engaging in life at this stage of his dementia. “I don’t know how they get him involved,” said his wife, “But when he’s there, he’s amazing – at home, he often just sleeps.”

Fresh Canvas has been funded since 2005 by the Bella and Max Shulman Family Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Hartford. For more information on the Adult Day Center at Hebrew Health Care, call Maureen at 860-523-3857. For information about dementia specific programs at Hebrew Health Care, or supportive services, visit www.hebrewhealthcare.org.