University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community

CAC partnered with the Indiana Arts Commission to help evaluate the Lifelong Arts Indiana programs around the state. We are thankful to have been a part of this project and wanted to take a minute to highlight various artists around the state. Our third artist highlight is Tammeron. He is the co-owner of the ClayWood LLC ceramic studio. His Fellowship project was Storytelling Pottery at Madjax Maker Force in Muncie, Indiana. Many of Claywood’s Life Long arts programs are taught with his wife Anna Popova. Tammeron’s background is in Architectural design, Anna’s background is as a librarian. Anna has been working in clay, focusing on sculpture and portraiture, since 2013. Tammeron is a 2022 On-Ramp, IAC, fellow and has received grants for interpreting natural areas with en plein air drawing and clay. The principal project was Storytelling Pottery. They also conducted two other workshops; Your Garden’s Story and Miniatures. Story Telling Pottery had participants create a dining-ware set that includes: a bowl, a plate, a cup or mug as well ceramic dinnerware of your choice. The ceramic ware is decorated with images from favorite meals or foods using underglaze “paints.” When the four workshops are done and the work completed we glaze and fire the work so that it can be used as tableware. At the final, fifth meeting participants celebrate the work with a potluck or “pitch-in” dinner. Your Garden’s Story is a celebration of the coming growing season in spring. Making a garden marker and a planting pot are the workshop’s first and second project. The third, most difficult and creative project is to make a garden pole. Using sculpted figures threaded through on a pole the garden pole intends to tell the story of your garden. Figures might include frequently visiting birds and animals, references to landscape features (water or meadows for example) and or favorite plants that would be adjacent to the pole itself. Story Telling Miniatures making a dwelling for a specific in or outside location. His studio is located in Muncie, Indiana and typically conduct workshops within 150 miles of Muncie. Past workshops took place in Delaware, Jackson, Marion, Wabash, as well as Steuben County (Arts in the Park) (where they have a small studio). Lifelong Arts Indiana is made possible in part by the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Aging. Photos are shared with permission from class participant

CAC partnered with the Indiana Arts Commission to help evaluate the Lifelong Arts Indiana programs around the state. We are thankful to have been a part of this project and wanted to take a minute to highlight various artists around the state. Our second artist highlight is Paula Scott-Frantz from Indianapolis, Indiana. She works as a full-time freelance multimedia artist, and is a teaching artist for the Newfields a Place for Nature & The Arts in Indianapolis. She also was a teaching artist for many years at the Ascension St. Vincent's Cancer Care Center. Her recent program sponsored by Lifelong Arts Indiana was called A Visual Anthology of Personal Stories: Felt Paintings. This program addressed mature learners, giving them an opportunity to relate life stories as they learned the art of Felt Making. The creative work produced by the students reflected the power of personalized art activities for seniors. Sharing felt-making and storytelling with older adults gives participants a sense of support and confidence, as they experience the joy of creativity. Some of my own felt art pieces are currently on display at the The Indianapolis Public Library Central Library in downtown Indianapolis. Funding for A Visual Anthology of Personal Stories: Felt Paintings was provided by the Indiana Arts Commission, Aroha Philanthropies, Newfields a Place for Nature & The Arts , and Ascension St. Vincent's.Vincent. Lifelong Arts Indiana is made possible in part by the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Aging. Photos are shared with permission from class participants

CAC partnered with the Indiana Arts Commission to help evaluate the Lifelong Arts Indiana programs around the state. We are thankful to have been a part of this project and wanted to take a minute to highlight various artists around the state. Our first artist highlight is Karen Chilman. She provided Creative Aging Arts classes (Lifelong Arts Indiana) for the Indiana Arts Commission on multiple occasions. She taught a series of classes both at Perceptions and at the local senior resource center in North Vernon. These classes included: drawing, painting, mixed media/collage, collaborative mural making, printmaking, and art history. Karen teaches a wide range of classes in addition to the classes she teaches for Lifelong Arts Indiana. She teaches a hand building with clay class, more than 6 yoga classes per week to students from teens to 80 plus and a chair yoga that is accessible to all! She retired from teaching visual arts to middle school and high school students for thirty years. Karen has a bachelors degree in fine arts with a focus on painting came from Hanover College. She also has a masters degree in art education and was part of the artistically talented program at Indiana University. She has taught yoga for over twenty years and sees a large connection between the mind and body, yoga and art. This activity is made possible in part by the Indiana Arts Commission, which receives support from the State of Indiana and the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Aging. Photos are shared with permission from participants

November is National Family Caregivers Month—a chance to acknowledge, celebrate and support America’s 53 million family caregivers. Family Caregiver Alliance / National Center on Caregiving describes on their website that family caregivers are tasked with managing medications, meals and transportation to performing nursing and medical tasks, family caregivers provide compassionate and dedicated care to millions across the country. Their contributions are immeasurable—yet the role of this “invisible workforce” is only getting harder. Increasingly, family caregivers are facing more challenges, stress and burden. According to a recent AARP report, 64 percent of caregivers report their situation as emotionally stressful, 45 percent have experienced a financial impact as a result of caregiving, and more caregivers than ever are performing medical/nursing and other complex care tasks. Yet despite these challenges, 60 percent report difficulty in finding services and support in their communities. Resources from the Caregiver Action Network can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gsyXng7e Resources from Family Caregiver Alliance / National Center on Caregiving can be found here: https://lnkd.in/gUxjPeJP

We want to extend congratulations to University of Indianapolis President Tanuja Singh on being named one of this year's Women of Influence by the Indiana Business Journal IBJ Media

An accurate diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease currently requires a sample of cerebrospinal fluid or a brain imaging test called a PET scan. Neither test is available in primary care clinics, where many people with concerns about their cognitive health are first seen. Researchers have been working to develop blood tests for the disease by measuring proteins. Most studies of these tests have not been done in real-world settings such as community clinics. In a new study, funded in part by National Institute on Aging (NIA), researchers evaluated older adults from primary care clinics and specialty memory clinics and used the PrecivityAD2? blood test to compare the results with those from a spinal fluid test or PET scan. Results showed that the blood test predicted an Alzheimer’s diagnosis with 88-92% accuracy, performing better than clinical evaluations done without biomarker-based testing. While the test used in the study is sold in the United States, it is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration or covered by most insurance plans. The study also needs to be replicated in more diverse populations. Learn more about?the findings from this study. https://lnkd.in/gzG4Ks9w

?? Check out the latest CAC project! ?? We are working with the City of Austin Equity Office and Cortez Consulting to launch the Austin's first "Quality of Life Study" on Aging. For more information, please visit: https://bit.ly/agingQOL

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. "It is a time for victim advocates, allied professionals, survivors of abuse, their loved ones, and the surrounding community come together to mourn the lives lost to domestic violence, celebrate the progress that has been made to end this epidemic, and connect with others working to create change."?Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services This problem occurs in all communities and affects people regardless of socioeconomic status, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender identity.?Administration for Community Living

National Physical Therapy Month is every October and serves as a chance to raise awareness among consumers about the many benefits of physical therapy. American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). This year's theme is fall prevention. CAC works in partnership with the Krannert School of Physical Therapy at the University of Indianapolis on a variety of projects- including being subject matter experts for our fall prevention education, Stepping On (Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging Inc., Indiana Department of Health)

Global Handwashing Day is held yearly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on October 15th. It serves as reminder that handwashing with soap and water is one of the simplest, most effective ways to stop the spread of germs and stay healthy.