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Connecting Socially Isolated Older Rural Adults with Older Volunteers through Expressive Arts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2016

Ann MacLeod Open the ORCID record for Ann MacLeod [Opens in a new window] ,
Mark W. Skinner ,
Fay Wilkinson  and
Heather Reid
Ann MacLeod*
Affiliation:
Trent-Fleming School of Nursing, Trent University
Mark W. Skinner
Affiliation:
Department of Geography, Trent University
Fay Wilkinson
Affiliation:
Registered Expressive Arts Consultant/Educator, Ontario
Heather Reid
Affiliation:
Past-Director, U-Links Centre for Community-Based Research, Ontario
*
*La correspondance et les demandes de tire-à-part doivent être adressées à: / Correspondence and requests for offprints should be sent to: Ann MacLeod, MPH, BScN, RN Trent-Fleming School of Nursing Trent University 1600 West Bank Drive Peterborough, ON K9L 0G2 (annmacleod@trentu.ca)
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Abstract

Employing a participatory arts-based research approach, we examined an innovative program from rural Ontario, Canada, designed to address social isolation among older people. Older socially isolated adults were matched to trained volunteers, where in dyads, the eight pairs created expressive art in their home setting over the course of 10 home visits. With thematic and narrative inquiry, we analysed the experiences and perceptions of the program leader, older participants, and older volunteers via their artistic creations, weekly logs, evaluations, and field notes. The findings reveal a successful intervention that positively influenced the well-being of older adult participants and older volunteers, especially in regards to relationships, personal development, and creating meaning as well as extending the intervention’s impact beyond the program’s duration. We also discuss opportunities for similar programs to inform policy and enable positive community-based health and social service responses to rural social isolation.

Résumé

Utilisant une approche participative basée sur la recherche dans le domaine des arts, nous avons examiné un programme novateur de l’Ontario rural, Canada, conçu pour répondre à l’isolement social chez les personnes âgées. Les personnes âgées qui étaient socialement isolées ont été jumelées à des bénévoles formés; en dyades, les huit paires ont créées de l’art expressif chez elles au cours des dix visites à domicile. Utilisant une enquête thematique et narrative, nous avons analysé les expériences et les perceptions du programme du chef, des participants plus âgés, et des bénévoles plus âgés à travers leurs créations artistiques, les journaux hebdomadaires, les évaluations et le carnet d’opérations.

Les résultats révèlent une intervention réussie qui influencent positivement le bien-être des participants plus âgés et les bénévoles plus âgés, en particulier en ce qui concerne les relations, le développement personnel, et en la création du sens, ainsi que l’extension de l’impact de l’intervention au-delà de la durée du programme. Nous discutons aussi possibilités pour des programmes similaires pour la politique et permet des services sociaux positifs à l'isolement rural basés dans les communautés.

Keywords

agingarts-based researchexpressive artsolder volunteersparticipatorysocial isolationvieillissmentrecherche basée sur les artsparticipatifbénévoles plus âgésvieillissement en milieu ruralisolement social
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 35 , Issue 1 , March 2016 , pp. 14 - 27
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2016 

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