Artswell - Arts and Healthcare

The Well

January 1^st, 2010

Artswell is privileged to “share the easel” with a litany of extraordinary collaborators. In this edition of The Well we are delighted to introduce you to Betty Kwong, one of our remarkable volunteer Art Therapists, a short Q&A with Labyrinth facilitator Barbara Brown, a message from our President, and much more.

Download the latest issue of Artswell’s magazine, The Well.

Activity Professionals of Ontario Convention

August 2^nd, 2009

Artswell founder Mary Pfaff engaged more than 50 delegates to this convention in Collingwood.

Fill the Well:  Experience the inspiring power of art.

In Fill the Well, the main objective will be to share the artwork residents have produced in long term care settings via a PowerPoint presentation. The presentation highlights the vital creative sparks inherent in us all and especially in seniors when they have an opportunity to shine. There will be a hands-on component to the seminar where each person in the audience will be able to participate in and contribute to a collaborative creation.

 In our art programs for residents in long term care we aspire to provide a positive enjoyable art experience.  We celebrate individual strengths, interests and personalities, design age appropriate, failure proof projects residents are proud to display, and encourage social interaction. Some results are: overall environment is enhanced for participants, staff, families and volunteers, stress and anxiety is reduced, the imagination is awakened, joy and laughter are present and the quality of the lives of everyone is improved.

Activity Professionals of Ontario (APO) is a non-profit organization of recreation specialists dedicated to educating, networking and development in the activity discipline. Recreational and leisure needs are an essential component of social health and well being in our senior population. APO is working diligently with the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, affiliated professionals and educators to develop Best Practices for the provision of Recreation and Leisure services in geriatric and long term care settings.