Opening Minds through Art (OMA) is an art program for individuals struggling with dementia. Participation in OMA promotes social engagement, autonomy, and dignity of these individuals through creative self-expression. Cedar Village strives to enhance the quality of life for our residents and works in partnership with the Scripps Gerontology School at Miami University to enroll as many residents as possible in OMA each semester. Trained volunteers work with residents in a variety of mediums, including watercolors, ink, and pastels.
OMA is founded on the fact that people with dementia are capable of expressing themselves creatively and is grounded in person centered ethics to build bridges across age and cognitive barriers through art. OMA is implemented through partnering each resident with a trained volunteer or staff member. Working on a one-to-one basis with the residents, a close relationship develops between the two partners. At the end of each semester a gallery exhibition is held with the artists, partners, and families to celebrate their accomplishments while education the public about the creative capacities of people with dementia through artwork.
OMA received a Best Practices Award from LeadingAge Ohio (2011); was recognized as a Program of Distinction by Generations United (2015); and is listed as a Quality Improvement Project by Ohio Department of Aging (2015).
Your donation will help purchase art supplies for our talented artists.
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