Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Creative Aging: Drawing on the Arts to Enhance Healthy Aging

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Geropsychology

Definitions

The term “creative aging,” in the broadest sense, describes an aging policy idea that focuses on highlighting the creativity of older adults in order to prepare individuals and communities to manage old age. Programs focus on the evolution of creativity over the lifespan and aim to provide meaningful participatory engagement, especially through the arts.

A General History of the Creative Aging Movement and Best Practices

The history of professionally led creative aging programs may be traced back to the origins of the constructs of successful aging and healthy aging. These gerontological concepts were developed in the 1960s in opposition to the prevailing construct at that time, namely disengagement theory. At the same time, aging interest groups emerged which promoted cultural and lifestyle issues for older adults.

Some of the well-known creative aging programs started in the 1970s in the United States (USA) with combining art and activities for older adults. These...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bloom, M. (2014). Creativity in older adults. In T. P. Gullotta & M. Bloom (Eds.), Encyclopedia of primary prevention and health promotion (2nd ed., pp. 1933–1941). New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castora-Binkley, M., Noelker, L., Prohaska, T., & Satariano, W. (2010). Impact of arts participation on health outcomes for older adults. Journal of Aging, Humanities, and the Arts, 4(4), 352–367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, G. D. (2001). Creativity with aging: Four phases of potential in the second half of life. Geriatrics, 56(4), 51–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, G. D. (2005). The mature mind: The positive power of the aging brain. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, G. D. (2009). Creativity, later life. In D. S. Carr (Ed.), Encyclopedia of the life course and human development. Vol. 3 later life (pp. 85–89). Detroit: Gale Cengage Learning/Macmillan Reference USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, G. D., Perlstein, S., Chapline, J., Kelly, J., Firth, K. M., & Simmens, S. (2006). The impact of professionally conducted cultural programs on the physical health, mental health, and social functioning of older adults. Gerontologist, 46(6), 726–734.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Creative Aging Toolkit for Public Libraries. (2016). Retrieved from http://creativeagingtoolkit.org

  • Cutler, D. (2009). Ageing artfully: Older people and professional participatory arts in the UK. London: Baring Foundation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehlert, A., Fricke, A., & Marley, M. (2010). The increase guide: A manual about intercultural creativity of older age. Badajoz/Glasgow/Remscheid/Wolfenbüttel: Increase Learning Partnership.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanna, G. P., & Perlstein, S. (2008). Creativity matters: Arts and aging in America. Washington, DC: Americans for the Arts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klimczuk, A. (2015). Economic foundations for creative ageing policy, volume I: Context and considerations. New York/Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Levy, B., & Langer, E. (1999). Aging. In M. A. Runco & S. R. Pritzker (Eds.), Encyclopedia of creativity. volume 1 (pp. 45–52). San Diego: Academic.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moloney, O. (2006). Age & opportunity guidelines for working with older people in the arts: A resource for Bealtaine organisers and others involved in the arts and older people. Dublin: Bealtaine Festival/Age & Opportunity.

    Google Scholar 

  • NCCA Creative Caregiving Guide. (2016). Retrieved from http://creativecaregiving.creativeaging.org

  • Payne, M. (2012). Citizenship social work with older people. Chicago: Lyceum Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reed, I. C. (2005). Creativity: Self-perceptions over Time. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 60(1), 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, J. E., & Lyles, K. (2007). Creativity and aging: Best practices. Washington, DC: National Endowment for the Arts.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. (2015). World report on ageing and health. Geneva: World Health Organization.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Warsaw School of Economics, Warsaw, Poland

    Andrzej Klimczuk

Authors
  1. Andrzej Klimczuk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andrzej Klimczuk .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

    Nancy A. Pachana

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore

About this entry

Cite this entry

Klimczuk, A. (2016). Creative Aging: Drawing on the Arts to Enhance Healthy Aging. In: Pachana, N. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geropsychology. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-080-3_363-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-080-3_363-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-287-080-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Social SciencesReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation