Older Adults and Creative Arts: Personal and Interpersonal Change

Creative aging programs are recognized as an effective way to enhance the lives of older adults. This study examines creative arts programs offered through public libraries. Focus groups captured participants’ experiences. Themes that emerged from analysis of the focus group data generally clustered into two areas: Personal Change and Interpersonal Change. Personal change captured five perspectives: Healing; Safe Place/Freedom; New/Renewed Self; Creative; Joy/Fun. Interpersonal change entailed two perspectives: Connections and how they are Seen Differently by Others. The positive experiences of older adults who have engaged in organized creative arts programs suggest the potential life-changing possibilities of these programs.