ASHLAND — Every May, the Administration of Community Living leads our nation in celebrating and acknowledging Older Americans.
This year, the theme for Older Americans Month (OAM) is “Age My Way!” The focus is on the unique ways older adults age and how they make lifestyle choices, select strategies and make plans to remain engaged, age in place, and contribute to their communities.
Dr. Dwight McElfresh, an older adult residing in Ashland County, shared his perspective on the topic.
“The best way to stay connected and engaged is to get involved! Find a cause or activity that you are passionate about and give of your time, talents, and treasure,” McElfresh said. “You will find like minded people to share your interests and meet new people to challenge and push you to grow and improve yourself and your community.”
Most older adults want to “age in place,” remaining in their homes and dwelling in community settings, even if modifications to their housing options become necessary or outside assistance is sought. The objective is to improve accessibility and maximize independence.
Aging with dignity, older adults continue to make a difference in our communities in multiple ways. This is a reality despite changes associated with normal aging, challenges faced, social inequality, and ageism.
Older adults take on multiple roles, not being defined only or primarily as “older” or “elderly.”
While family or current/prior employment roles are important in their lives, other roles also characterize how they remain engaged or connected. As examples, these roles may include volunteer, advocate, writer, artist, painter, active learner, leader, blogger, public speaker, and mentor.
Older adults can remain engaged and active – physically, cognitively, spiritually, socially, and emotionally. Some ways of remaining engaged and connected have been impacted negatively by the pandemic, resulting in social isolation and difficulties maintaining emotional well-being.
However, when large social gatherings and family events are avoided, even now, there remain other valuable ways to connect. One cannot underestimate the value of phone calls, emails, texts, skyping, handwritten notes, zoom meetings, and social media.
The Power of Creative Expressions
The benefits to self and others by engaging in creative expressions are numerous. Self-expression and sharing works created promote emotional well-being, social connectedness, health, and recovery.
Creative expressions are of a variety of forms; including painting, writing, drawing, and music. Written works include poetry, essays, short stories, and creation of personal affirmations. Sharing works, legacies, and words of wisdom can promote intergenerational connectedness, challenge ageist perspectives, and reveal what is possible when aging [their] way.
Reflections shared by Josianne Stone
Accompanying this article is artwork, created by 95-year-old artist, Josianne Stone. Josianne has made creative expressions a major feature in her efforts to age HER way.
Her artwork presents her self-image crafting a work of art, surrounded by some of her other works that have been framed. As she immerses herself in the creative process, she is touched by God’s presence, represented by angels who are – in effect – celebrating what is being done.
Josianne Stone discovered and embraced her passion with expressing her thoughts, feelings, and relationship with God through works of art. She took an adult education class in her mid-70s, and started with this hobby, capturing her love for art.
Josianne indicated that being an active learner and discovering what you’d like to do is never too late. She has found the process of creating art to be “relaxing, pleasant, and very important to (her).”
She noted that it is “portable, compact and affordable.”
Josianne shared what the creative process entails: “After lightly sketching (her) subject in black soft pencil, (she) proceed(s) to fill in the page with color, with finely sharpened pencils, layering (her) complementary colors, continuing from the palette (she) previously chose. (She) will then blend the colors with a colorless pencil. Using gauze to remove the excess wax, (she) will lightly buff the whole picture and, to complete it, a light spray of sealer.”
The beauty of what she does is reflected in the eloquence and elegance of the language she uses to describe the process.
When reflecting on what it means to age well, Josianne noted that one should not think of age.
Using her skill at the age of 95 helps her to keep “wanting to go on,” to “get dressed each morning.” Her message to other older adults about aging well: “Do not wait to do the things you always yearned to do, or to try something new. Do volunteer work, even a few hours once a week. Pick up a hobby which takes all your attention and ‘out of this world.’
As you get less physically active, you will have something to occupy hours which could be lonely.”
When she thinks about her love for drawing, Josianne remarked that “she can do it for hours yet feel No Pain At All.” She is “transported to another world where calm, peace and joy reside. Looking at the results, (she) is glad of what (she) accomplished.”
Furthermore, “drawings can be easily copied and framed or made into greeting cards which your family and friends will appreciate more than you can imagine.”
This represents a strong mechanism for remaining engaged, for sharing your love and passion, and for connecting with different generations.
Josianne Stone recently published a book entitled, “From War to Peace by His Grace: Reflections of My Life Through World War II and 2020” (2021). Beautiful artwork graces many of the pages, complementing the stories she shares. For more examples of artwork that she has created, visit https://www.gtgcreations.com/.
