Dance for Parkinson's - trial session January 2017

In November 2016, I attended a workshop for dance teachers who are interested in teaching dance classes for people who have Parkinson's Disease. The class was held at the Mark Morris Dance Group in Brooklyn, which is home to the Dance with PD organization. The workshop was led by the absolutely awesome David Leventhal, who is the Program Director of Dance with PD. As part of the workshop, we participated in the weekly Dance for PD class. The joy of the class participants was palpable and infectious - I was moved to tears several times during class, but particularly during the "Pass the Pulse" segment at the end of class. There was no doubt in my mind that teaching this kind of class is what I want to do. I've always believed in the  power of dance and music to bring people to a better place in body, mind, and spirit, and this class exemplified that belief in a very tangible way.

When I came back to Chicago, I was overwhelmed and scattered about how to begin. Find some people? Find a space? Choreograph a class? I don't actually know anyone with Parkinson's in Chicago, but I started by talking about it to my friends, and my friends began to give me the names of people they knew with Parkinson's. My friend Susan's mother has Parkinson's and lives in a senior living facility. When Susan told her mother about the dance class, she was very enthusiastic, which grew into the idea of starting a class in the rec room just for Susan and her mother. Susan took the bull by the horns and began to tell other residents the class, as well as engaging the activity director in the discussion. So, starting January 15, 2017 at 2 PM, we'll have a 4-week trial offering of Dance for Parkinson's, which encourages participation by the caregivers (whether family members or hired employees of the person with Parkinson's). I'm really excited!

I have a number of leads given to me by Marsha's friend Judy, and plan to contact those leads after I've begun this first trial of classes. For now, I need to focus on making those first classes the best they can be, and learning from them. Hopefully, those classes will also give me the experience to talk about the benefits Dance for Parkinson's with more confidence.

Personal Mission Statement

I choose to live each day intentionally - thinking and taking action for ideas and activities that support

• creative expression
• learning & growing
• health and movement

while respecting and caring for myself, each other, and the natural world.

Aging in place

Thoughts for aging in place -
apartments on first floor
no stair entry
keep an apartment free for caregiver
(keep two apartments free for guests/airbnb)

Articles/studies that identify features that homes need for aging in place safety:

http://jchs.harvard.edu/research/publications/housing-americas-older-adults%E2%80%94meeting-needs-aging-population

http://www.nahb.org/en/learn/designations/certified-aging-in-place-specialist/related-resources/aging-in-place-remodeling-checklist.aspx

http://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/info-2014/aarp-home-fit-guide-aging-in-place.html

Planners and urban designers (from Shannon):
http://www.placemakers.com/how-we-work/planning-and-design/

Acrylic on canvas

Acrylic on canvas, about 16x20. This started out as painting #14 from the post on may 14. I didn't really like the colors on that painting, but it had some nice textures, so I decided to just paint over it. A very little bit of the original painting is peeking through. The textures gave a pretty simple painting some interest. I enjoyed painting this - the soothing colors and blending the colors was very relaxing.

Creative Living Community - Creative Vision

I've had a vision of living in community for many years. When I was in my twenties, my best friend from high school and I made a pact that we would share a house when we were old ladies and our husbands were no longer around. In my thirties, when I was the mother of three young boys, the concept of co-housing intrigued me from the standpoint of having a “village” to help raise children. In my fifties, during the last months of my mother’s life, she was no longer able to take care of her needs on her own, and needed help occasionally throughout the day. We hired a 24/7 caregiver for her, but it would have been highly preferable if she could have shared the services of a caregiver with other nearby persons nearby. And, for more than a decade, I’ve had a vision of being part of a vibrant creative community that shared space and resources - cooperative art/dance/music studios, where artists would work, teach and share their creative gifts, where learning and creating would be accessible to people of all ages and experience levels, and cost would not be a barrier.

Since entering my sixties, I've felt as if I'm on the brink of a new chapter of my life. My kids are (mostly) out of the house, and I can catch a glimpse down the road of retiring from full-time work. Part of this next chapter involves where I live, and what I do with my time to continue to have purpose and meaning in my life. My vision is an intentional community of separate living spaces and shared creative space that will allow residents to  have significant input into the fabric of the community, and give me (and others) the option of aging in place. I want to be able to continue to enjoy the community life even when I may need some help with my daily activities, and through sharing resources like caregivers, I believe this should be financially and logistically possible.

·         My vision of this intentional community includes:
      Different generations and kinds of households: single adults, couples, families with children, retired people Private living space for each household, including private kitchen and bathroom(s)

·         Affordable for a large range of income levels

·         A place where residents can “age in place” – with the option to share caregivers (technology), and living units are built for accessibility

·         A creative focus –common art, dance, music studios on-site

·         Opportunities to continue to learn and grow and share

·         Easy accessibility to natural beauty

·         Easy accessibility to culture, medical, public transportation

·         Shared resources (example: one lawn mower for 10 households, one or two shared guest rooms,shared caregivers for residents with part-time needs)

·         Some shared meals and social events

·         Economies of scale

·         Sharing of skills, time and resources – easing the load of responsibilities for working folks and families, but giving retired folk opportunities to share their skills and increase their sense of purpose

Although this type of community is not (yet) commonplace in the U.S., there are currently over 1700 co-housing and intentional communities in the U.S. as well as a number of senior artist colonies, primarily located in California.

·                  

Resources:
Burbank Senior Artist Colony http://www.seniorartistscolony.com/
http://smartliving365.com/cohousing-best-solution-aging-well/
The art of creative aging http://www.engagedaging.org/
http://www.nextavenue.org/a-look-inside-arts-colonies-for-older-adults/

Fellowship for Intentional Community http://www.ic.org/

Intentional Community Articles and links (some sent by Helen)

• Placitas NM aging in place:
• http://www.cohousing.org/node/3465

Cohousing is a form of collaborative housing designed to emphasize social contact among community members while preserving and respecting individual privacy. Private homes, which contain all the features of conventional homes, are built within a compound that affords easy access to extensive common facilities such as open space, courtyards, and a common house. The common house is the center of most cohousing communities. Typically it includes a large dining room and kitchen, recreational facilities for adults and children, guest rooms, and workshops.
Senior cohousing opens up new alternatives for members to age in place, living as independently as possible for as long as possible. It enhances a person’s well-being physically, socially and emotionally. Active seniors like the idea of planning and managing their neighborhood and living with others who share in making decisions and creating policies for their community. In cohousing, seniors form a camaraderie that fosters dignity, independence, safety, mutual concern and fun.  Here in Placitas, our project will provide an opportunity for seniors to live in smaller, easier to manage homes, with compatible neighbors.
 

• Age in place
• Live as independently as possible for as long as possible
• Enhance your well-being physically, socially and emotionally
• Living with others who share in making decisions and creating policies for their community
• Form a camaraderie that fosters dignity, independence, safety, mutual concern and fun

RD: You seemed especially impressed by the Generations of Hope community?
BB: Yes, this is truly the most inspiring model I came across, and I hope it spreads.
The founder, Brenda Eheart, was an expert in foster care for children and she’d grown frustrated with the dismal lives many of these kids lead, despite the good intentions of the social service system. She created an intentional community in Rantoul, Illinois, called Hope Meadows, for foster children and their adoptive families and for older people who want to live there.
The older people get reduced rent in exchange for volunteering their time in the community. Many form deep bonds with the children and act as "bonus" grandparents of sorts.
The families get other onsite counseling and support, and the children for the first time have normal lives. As evidence of the community’s success: 100 per cent of Hope Meadows kids graduate from high school, while the national average for foster children is 30 per cent.
- See more at: http://aginghorizons.com/2014/09/interview-boomers-seek-alternatives-to-retirement-homes/#sthash.WHiMsLcw.dpuf

Generations of Hope community?
BB: Yes, this is truly the most inspiring model I came across, and I hope it spreads.
The founder, Brenda Eheart, was an expert in foster care for children and she’d grown frustrated with the dismal lives many of these kids lead, despite the good intentions of the social service system. She created an intentional community in Rantoul, Illinois, called Hope Meadows, for foster children and their adoptive families and for older people who want to live there.
The older people get reduced rent in exchange for volunteering their time in the community. Many form deep bonds with the children and act as "bonus" grandparents of sorts.
The families get other onsite counseling and support, and the children for the first time have normal lives. As evidence of the community’s success: 100 per cent of Hope Meadows kids graduate from high school, while the national average for foster children is 30 per cent.
- See more at: http://aginghorizons.com/2014/09/interview-boomers-seek-alternatives-to-retirement-homes/#sthash.WHiMsLcw.dpuf

 http://aginghorizons.com/2014/09/interview-boomers-seek-alternatives-to-retirement-homes/
Generations of Hope community - foster care kids, plus older people who get reduced rent in exchange for volunteer work

RD: You seemed especially impressed by the Generations of Hope community?
BB: Yes, this is truly the most inspiring model I came across, and I hope it spreads.
The founder, Brenda Eheart, was an expert in foster care for children and she’d grown frustrated with the dismal lives many of these kids lead, despite the good intentions of the social service system. She created an intentional community in Rantoul, Illinois, called Hope Meadows, for foster children and their adoptive families and for older people who want to live there.
The older people get reduced rent in exchange for volunteering their time in the community. Many form deep bonds with the children and act as "bonus" grandparents of sorts.
The families get other onsite counseling and support, and the children for the first time have normal lives. As evidence of the community’s success: 100 per cent of Hope Meadows kids graduate from high school, while the national average for foster children is 30 per cent.
- See more at: http://aginghorizons.com/2014/09/interview-boomers-seek-alternatives-to-retirement-homes/#sthash.WHiMsLcw.dpuf

http://www.arohaphilanthropies.org/about-aroha/

Our Vision

Aroha Philanthropies is devoted to the transformative power of the arts and creativity, inspiring vitality in those over 55, joy in children and youth, and humanity in adults with mental illness.
We believe that learning, making, and sharing art enriches everyone throughout their lifetime.

		For adults in their encore years, arts participation can open the creative spirit, build social engagement, encourage new skills, and bring joy. Learn more…
		For children and youth, engagement with the arts catalyzes learning, sparks imagination, develops empathy, and builds self-assurance. Learn more…
		For adults with mental illness, providing safe and supportive home environments infused with the arts and creativity fosters community, self-expression, and personal growth.

RD: You seemed especially impressed by the Generations of Hope community?
BB: Yes, this is truly the most inspiring model I came across, and I hope it spreads.
The founder, Brenda Eheart, was an expert in foster care for children and she’d grown frustrated with the dismal lives many of these kids lead, despite the good intentions of the social service system. She created an intentional community in Rantoul, Illinois, called Hope Meadows, for foster children and their adoptive families and for older people who want to live there.
The older people get reduced rent in exchange for volunteering their time in the community. Many form deep bonds with the children and act as "bonus" grandparents of sorts.
The families get other onsite counseling and support, and the children for the first time have normal lives. As evidence of the community’s success: 100 per cent of Hope Meadows kids graduate from high school, while the national average for foster children is 30 per cent.
- See more at: http://aginghorizons.com/2014/09/interview-boomers-seek-alternatives-to-retirement-homes/#sthash.WHiMsLcw.dpuf

http://www.secondjourney.org/itin/12_Sum/12Sum_Carpenter.htm
the Burbank Senior Artists Colony (BSAC) opened in May of 2005, developed by Meta like no other developer could have developed it. It boasts 141 units, residents of all artistic skills, both professional and newly acquired, and a rich variety of physical amenities that include a theater, arts studios, computer media lab, outdoor performance spaces, classrooms, and other bells and whistles intended to spark creativity. The physical amenities are more than matched by what we at EngAGE call the intellectual amenities: college-level classes provided onsite by professional artists and groups of residents who come together to create art shows, plays, films, and other forms of expressive neighborly lunacy. It’s the kind of place I’d move to grow up in, not grow old in.

• ·         Dr. R – rent out space as Farm Vacations
  ·         Independent finances
  ·         Affordable
  ·         Shared expenses – prop tax, maintenance, repair fund
  ·         Shared facilities and resources: kitchen/dr, studios, supplies: economies of scale
  ·         Shared dinners
  ·         Required labor: meals, committee
  ·         No dietary restrictions – people can eat how they choose

http://www.ic.org/directory/artists-cohousing-community-louisville-colorado/

Mission:
To live, work, and share art in a supportive sustainable artists cohousing environment. To share art resources and the art experiences with others.
Draft Values:
1. Living, working, and creating art, including commerce supportive of artists
2. Valuing community, family, and individual comfort, autonomy, and privacy
3. Respecting different spaces: Private, Shared Art Spaces, Village Commons, Public
4. Community outreach to support artists and create art opportunities
5. Affordability — Include low-income artists
6. Including visual arts, performing arts, music, fine crafts, film, literary arts
7. Economically sustainable co-housing community and living practices
8. Consciousness about our environmental impact
9. Sharing duplicative resources
10. Being an Art Destination.

http://seniorplanet.org/tim-carpenter-thriving-through-the-arts/
Imagine if the last part of your life was like starting college: so many options, not enough time in the day; your creative and intellectual potential unleashed. That’s what Tim Carpenter, founder and executive director of the nonprofit EngAGE and a catalyst in the creation of the Burbank Senior Artists Colony, wants our later years to look like.
Hear Carpenter talk about his work and vision: changing the way we age – and how we look at aging – by infusing arts education into senior living communities and building a new intentional housing model based on lifelong learning and creativity.

From Helen:

 You set my mind wandering. Here I things I came up with that you may already have.  It seems to me you are imagining a merger of the Artist Colony and senior co-housing.

Early Artist Colonies:  Art colonies initially emerged as village movements in the 19th and early 20th century. It is estimated that between 1830 and 1914 some 3000 professional artists participated in a mass movement away from urban centres into the countryside, residing for varying lengths of time in over 80 communities. http://www.ic.org/wiki/early-art-colonies.

Intentional communities for seniors:  "The growth of communes from 1965 to 1975 was usually based on a shared vision by its members. Communes were often established out of a broader idealism of creating a better world. There were also communes that were artistic collectives, religious and self-help communities. According to Schaub, there are approximately 4000 intentional communities with a population of 100,000 members.” http://www.retirewow.com/rebirth-of-intentional-communities-or-communal-living/

Here is an article that brought intentional senior communities and RVs together.  This guy, Tim Carpenter with nonprofit EngAGE may be a resource.  He is mentioned in the Minnesota article too.  http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2014/07/23/when-you-want-to-live-among-your-tribe/#6de598b8640f

Just starting to talk in Minneapolis:

http://www.startribune.com/advocate-wants-to-help-minnesota-s-senior-renters-to-age-artfully/377500521/

Burbank, CA:  

http://www.engagedaging.org/

http://www.seniorartistscolony.com/

Long Beach, FL:

https://lbpost.com/place/design/2000002962-senior-arts-colony-shifts-affordable-housing-forward-garnering-multiple-industry-accolades#.U4UAjJRdVNt

Map of ALL Intentional communities:

http://www.ic.org/directory/maps/

Artists Cohousing, Louisville, Colorado: http://www.ic.org/directory/artists-cohousing-community-louisville-colorado/

 

Ingenium Expressive Artts Village in Nevada City, California

http://www.ic.org/directory/ingenium-expressive-arts-village/\

Artists Way, New Hampshire:  http://www.ic.org/directory/artist-way-2/

Your idea is stimulating!