Age Friendly Museums Network Cross Sector Conference:

Thursday 16 th February 2017, British Museum 9.30am-4.30pm

Notes made by Mary B (Marette) Hickford – marette.hickford@gmail.com

NOTE: I have not captured all information given by the speakers; Please also accept my sincere apologies if these notes have misconstrued the messages made through the speeches given by the speakers.

Creative Ageing by Sadler’s Wells and Roehampton Institute

Parkinson’s Disease and Dance – Why the condition?:

Capacity to be able to do something Context for people to move Structured way of training and expanded offer to people to join Demand-led

Sadler’s Wells Company of Elders and English National Ballet’s Elders Group:

Bringing age into the mainstream Sadler’s Wells 15 years involvement with 60 years who are now 75 years old

Why Dance?

Sense of feeling lovely again Sadler’s Wells – to challenge stereotypes Feeling sexy Expressive Empowerment Freedom Sense of risk – doing something they don’t normally do and feel Giving a performance, especially at the ENB

Sector:

2014 – Elixir Festival started 2017 – it is now a generational show with a 92 year old choreographer; journey from trained

dancer to performer Parkinsons sufferers set up own dance group Arts → Therapeutic

Arts project with dementia – important role of carer for the project’s success with the carer as the dance partner

Partnership Funding – how and where to get it:

Spread of classes with several organisations, dance, charities, independent artists Think regionally and locally Robust research can lead to NHS Commissioning Funds – GPs interest can be high Arts Council funding for museums will begin over next couple of years (audience

announcement during presentation)

Issues for involvement:

Gatekeepers Access – transport, especially in rural areas Certain partners and settings may have different influences Initial contact to people not involved in dance – taster sessions offer? Beyond the middle classes (video shown depicts dance participants who were from middle-

class white backgrounds and who’d initially had some dance experience from youth) Projects need to be representative though independent companies already working with

working classes – low profile Ballroom classes top choice amongst many participants Hip Hop project in South London (specific classes? ethnic groups?) Greenwich Dance – Old dance hall used for both ballroom and contemporary

How can we use recent research exploring population change to inform our practice? By Oxford Institute of Population Ageing and Centre for Ageing Well

Centre for Ageing Well

Routes to bring about better later life:

Exercises Neighbourhoods and livelihoods Community contributions through volunteering

Volunteering Activities:

Neighbourliness

↓ → individual

Informal/Semi-formal

↓ → donations

Formal

↓ → volunteering

Civic → magistrate, councillor

= Evidence limited to formal involvements

Benefits?

Social interactions Isolation Loneliness – retirement and bereavement

Association between helping others and social interactions and relationships

Formal/informal volunteering health measures:↑ walking activities

↑ strength – grip↓fewer depressive symptoms↓fewer functional limitations↑improved cognitive skills – memory and brain activity↓reduction in mortality rates for volunteers

Volunteers: Well-being and sense of purpose Dignity Independence Pleasure Happiness

Give and take of interaction important for elderly people: Task satisfaction Self-esteem

Feeling life has meaning associated with lower cancer rates, heart disease and cognitive decline

Project – ‘Men’s Sheds’ began in Australia; Now 350 in the UK: Greater mental stimulation Meaningful role

Legacy of volunteering from young life varies between people not across timeThose in excellent health – 40% volunteering; 40% richest income group in 50+yearsVolunteering = white class activity

Who are the people who benefit? Those who have most to gain:

o Low-level educationo Mild mental health problemso Unmaterialistic (?) households

Institute of Population Ageing

Research into museum visitors, volunteers, trustees and members: Visitors – 45-74 years olds more likely to visit Volunteers – 45% over 65 years and decline over 75 years

Demography – compressed fertility and increased longevity2014 - median age = 40 years2037 – disproportionate population over 65 years (rich, rural areas?)

Not everyone living longerHealth life expectancy not in line with life expectancy ratesChange in old age:

Changes to retirement Extending working lives

Carers of grandchildren and/or parents Over 75 years fastest growing age group but not all seeing same increases in health

expectancies and disabilities

Seeing elderly people as assets: Manchester – ambassadors for radio station; 2011-12 – 80 reached 1,500+ people

Adaptations: Outreach – ‘memory boxes’ Training to carers Pop-up exhibitions for residential care settings Partnerships

Creative digital engagements: Apps Intergenerational work

Issues: Transport Expenses Fear Unvalued Personal circumstances Bureaucracy

Participation breeds participation: Grandparents looking after grand-children also volunteer

Informal volunteering: 75 years+ stay involved in this type rather than formal volunteering

Why do age—friendly museums matter? By Martin Green OBE, Ageing Well in Wales, University of Leicester and National Museums Liverpool

Martin Green OBE

Demographic change – older people reflective of Society

Museums: Intergenerational space Contributors Add richness e.g. war experiences/memories Projects with youth, relationships continue beyond such activities Those with dementia can centre themselves Wellbeing part of the Care Act

National Museums Liverpool

Museums are communities’ cultural heritage

Live well = opportunity, choice and health Don’t miss people by giving them labels

Ageing Well in Wales

Age-friendly communities Partnerships and small projects to cascade into museums, libraries etc Proactive!

University of Leicester

Categorising people How projects can reach more people as population shifts to older people How society thinks of older people:

Burdens = challenge the deficit model

Museums – debating environment to challenge thinking To age well

Issues: Engagement with leaders of local authorities, leisure companies, social care networks Gap between museums and health services Question about structuring services to older people as with children and the young Leaders need to be advocates Leadership appearing in different organisations but not in museums Children seeing ageing as a natural process – 50 years+ now seen as old Treatment of people as people Where are the shared experiences? Stop categorising and start finding out what people are interested in Funding or no funding, don’t hinge work on a bid

Inspiring through objects: The Portable Antiquities Scheme and Encountering the Unexpected by the British Museum and University of Leicester

British Museum Finds Liaison Officers supported by British Museum 82,000 objects of archaeological significance Community finding scheme:

On the job training Workshops Across the UK – expenses covered due to travel being a barrier

200+ volunteers which involves 70-80 years which is different from most museum volunteering schemes where this age group doesn’t appear

Includes students, metal detectorists and retirees Flexible opportunities:

Recording Photography Rallies Blogging Outreach

Older people – identify and record-checking Academics

Volunteer case studies: Volunteer One – to be himself, break from caring and has a fixed social point Volunteer Two – learned how to use a database which improved his home computer use

Volunteer Three – gained certified qualifications Volunteer Four – metal detectorist who became interested in flints and has become an

expert Colunteer Five – became interested in medieval coins, never had any previous knowledge

about now an expert

Benefits: Local programmes Training support Wide range of roles increasing Remote volunteering Different communities Safe and familiar Defined roles Rehabilitation New skills Another social circle

University of Leicester

Encountering the Unexpected: Natural heritage and nature Two years project By 2020, 65years+ will outnumber children under 5 years+ To have a positive understanding of ageing process:

Self-worth Autonomy

Present and future↓

Museums’ projects surrounding memory have become a default setting.

‘7 Million Wonders’ by Henry Magee (?) Physical energy Positive outlook on life

Project team: Museums collections Specialists

Values Ageing Nature/Wildlife Engagement

= Trading zones – equitable environments= No models, no blueprints= intersection of practice

Collections invisible with older people= internal museum management and practice

Breakout Session: Co-producing with older people by Horniman Museums and Gardens

Going beyond the medical paradigm Civic participation more important Co-production – developing and delivering project together Intergenerational

Museum partner – OPAN – older peoples’ arts projects within Lewisham

Journeys of Appreciation Programme (JOAP)

Community Groups – marginalised people who don’t visit museums for different reasons

Horniman Museum’s two principles of collaboration and empowerment: Youth forums Older people

Music Matters Community Connections Stroke Association – Sensory activities

Community Connections Consortium of local charities and organisations Funded by Croydon Council Identifying groups for input and empowerment Move from the museum to the community centre

Transport always an issue What defines old age?

2018 – new anthropology gallery Discovery box projects – connections between different objects to identify themes;

objects can be collected from outside the museum Silver Sunday: October event

Roots and Branches Project Local areas Research Arts and crafts Collection handling stalls Historypin

4 planning sessions Delivery of object-based session for families Pay community groups to run sessions

Silver Sunday – memories wall for families to work together on

New studio space at Horniman Museum: Groups working with artists to create exhibitions in response to collections Shifting opinion = getting people into the same room