Commun ty Matters Wichita Presbyterian Manor
July 2016
Start painting ... at any age! By Heidi Raschke for Next Avenue
Megan Jackson is the kind of person people describe as an old soul. “It’s hard for me to really connect in my own age group, and that’s always been the case,” says the painter who created an untitled work selected for publication by Next Avenue (see page 4). “I’ve always had older friends.” Before Jackson created this work of painting and collage, she wasn’t familiar with the terms “artful aging” or “creative aging” — which refer to the practice of engaging older adults in participatory, professionally run arts programs with a focus on social engagement and skills mastery. But she knew many people who were living it.
Resident of the Month
Velma Barber receives inaugural honor
“Anyone — anyone — can be an artist.You hear people all the time say, ‘Oh, I don’t have any artistic talent,’ which is not true,” Jackson says. “You just have to do it whether you think you have talent or not, you have to get out there and try it.”
A few months ago, Velma Barber suggested to Wichita Presbyterian Manor staff that they start a Resident of the Month program. It didn’t surprise her that they liked the idea. What surprised her is that she became the first honoree.
Jackson offers two tips on how you, too, can let go of the pressure and get started doing art:
Velma grew up on a farm northeast of Wichita and graduated from the nursing program at Wesley Hospital in 1949. She was drawn to psychiatric care, a field she says many nurses avoided. But Velma found it satisfying
ART, continued on page 4
In May, Velma was the guest of honor at the first resident of the month reception. She received a beautiful bouquet of flowers and shared some stories of her life’s adventures with her guests.
RESIDENT, continued on page 2