The Expressive Lives of Elders Folklore, Art, and Aging [Hardcover]

Can traditional arts improve an older adults quality of life? Are arts interventions more effective when they align with an elders cultural identity? InThe Expressive Lives of Elders, Jon Kay and contributors from a diverse range of public institutions argue that such mediations work best when they are culturally, socially, and personally relevant to the participants.

From quilting and canning to weaving and woodworking, this book explores the role of traditional arts and folklore in the lives of older adults in the United States, highlighting the critical importance of ethnographic studies of creative aging for both understanding the expressive lives of elders and for designing effective arts therapies and programs. Each case study in this volume demonstrates how folklore and traditional practices help elders maintain their health and wellness, providing a road map for initiatives to improve the lives and well-being of Americas aging population.

Jon Kay is Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology at Indiana University and Director of Traditional Arts Indiana at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures. He is author ofFolk Art and Aging: Life-Story Objects and Their Makers.

1. In light of the nations ageing baby boomer population, this book gives a timely window into the ways people find meaning and expression later in life. It is designed to provide a road map for initiatives aimed at improving quality of life and well-being for older Americans.

2. The works in the collection will find a broad audience, both among scholarly focused folklorists and anthropologists as well as among professional art therapy and elder care practitioners.

3. The editor and authors of this book are well connected in their fields and in their communities. The book benefits from being part of an ongoing relationship with Mathers Museum of World Cultures here in Bloomington as a part of our Material Vernal£æ