SUPPORT FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH MEMORY LOSS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Congratulations to Anne Basting for being named a MacArthur ‘Genius’

We salute Anne Basting for being named a 2016 MacArthur Fellow, she is one of 23 to recieve the MacArthur Foundation’s highest honor. “While our communities, our nation, and our world face both historic and emerging challenges, these 23 extraordinary individuals give us ample reason for hope. They are breaking new ground in areas of public concern, in the arts, and in the sciences, often in unexpected ways. Their creativity, dedication, and impact inspire us all.”—MacArthur President Julia Stasch.

Anne Basting is a theater artist, educator, and founder of TimeSlips Creative Storytelling, an improvisational method of storytelling in which older adults with cognitive impairment envision stories and poems in reaction to inspiring cues. “All of my work is collaborative,” Basting said, “and I feel suddenly like I’m standing by myself, and it’s not where I’m comfortable. So waves of gratitude go to all the people that have ever said yes to agreeing to do a project with me over the years.”

Basting’s nonprofit organization, located at TimeSlips.org, offers online and in-person programs that help caregivers around the world implement storytelling and creative expression to enhance the lives of elders with dementia. Basting’s perspective on aging and the power of stories is changing the perceptions of caregivers, family members, and policy makers around the world.

Basting’s innovative concepts focus on the potential of fulfillment despite memory loss. Her advocacy is elevating awareness about the achievable emotional connections between people with dementia and their loved ones. She has been vibrantly demonstrating the effectiveness of TimeSlips since 1998, which has proven to be a valuable vehicle to well-being as we age. Her audience of supporters is growing worldwide, OPICA is proud to be included in that list.

OPICA’s Adult Day Program embraces creative storytelling, for more information click HERE.

To read the full article from which we have quoted above click HERE.

To view all previous blogs, click here.

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