Creative Connections

Mary Lou has been involved in CVCOA's Creative Aging program since the beginning.  She remembers when programs were being curtailed due to COVID, and when she and a friend first saw the ads for the Creative Care Kits. They each ordered a kit, had it delivered, (to her surprise!) and the two of them would create, take photos of what they were doing, and then call each other to discuss. Since then, she has partnered with a number of different people in the same way around their art and recalls laughing "hilariously" on the phone, while enjoying each other's work. Mary Lou has shared her art at several of CVCOA's Creative Aging Celebrations. This year, she took her participation to the next level by taking on a volunteer role to lead a new Creative Aging Meetup in Morrisville, where she helps support others in being creative.  

Mary Lou worked all her life as a nurse practitioner. Once retired, she started to think about what she really wanted to do. That was when CVCOA "just kind of came along." She jumped on it because it seemed that was where her path was taking her. To Mary Lou, being involved in Creative Aging has been a wonderful experience, with her favorite part being the camaraderie and socialization. As she says, "there's a lot of laughter and joy."  Within the Creative Aging program, Mary Lou has found community. 

She shared how she recently assisted a participant experiencing memory loss to create a collage and how he was able to connect the images to his own life.  This kind of experience has made Mary Lou an advocate for more people who are affected by memory loss or disability to become involved with the program   She sees the Creative Aging Meetups as an ideal setting for caregivers and their loved ones, since they provide a comfortable, safe, and accessible place to enjoy being social.  

CVCOA is hosting a number of Creative Aging Meetups throughout the region. To find one near you, check our calendar.