This week on the Art of Aging, host Rev. Beth Long-Higgins welcomes Elizabeth Stamm, a board-certified music therapist, about the transformative power of music therapy in the lives of older adults. The discussion explores what music therapy is, how it addresses non-musical goals, and the importance of creativity, improvisation, and human connection in the healing process. Elizabeth shares personal stories illustrating the impact of music therapy on agency, achievement, and belonging, while emphasizing the value of authenticity and abundance in aging. Listeners will gain insight into the therapeutic process, the role of empowerment, the unique ways music can foster healing and self-expression at any stage of life, and so much more.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Symposium Announcement and Theme (1:15)
• Liz’s Path to Music Therapy (1:31)
• Defining Music Therapy (2:50)
• Training and Client Participation (5:30)
• Empowerment and Overcoming Musical Trauma (6:56)
• Creativity and Humanism in Therapy (9:04)
• Music and the Brain (11:30)
• Inspiring Outcomes: Parkinson’s Example (13:48)
• Inspiring Outcomes: Dementia Example (16:40)
• Agency, Achievement, and Belonging (19:57)
• Clinical Improvisation Defined (22:07)
• Spirituality and “Free Sense” in Music (24:00)
• Catharsis and Emotional Expression (26:01)
• Abundant Aging Questions: Personal Aging Reflections (27:38)
• Connecting with Liz and Parting Thoughts (32:38)

Abundant Aging is a podcast series presented by United Church Homes. These shows offer ideas, information, and inspiration on how to improve our lives as we grow older. To learn more and to subscribe to the show, visit abundantagingpodcast.com.

This week on the Art of Aging, host Rev. Beth Long-Higgins welcomes Kelly de la Rocha, Founder of poemRENOVATION, a creative platform that allows people to reimagine poetry by rearranging words from literary passages. Born from her personal experience of using poetry to process emotions, the digital and print-based tool has found remarkable success across generations, particularly in elder care settings. Kelly demonstrates how poemRENOVATION promotes creativity, mental wellness, and meaningful connections, especially for seniors in memory care and independent living communities. Through intergenerational workshops, collaborations with organizations like Opening Minds Through Art, and her passionate approach to creativity, Kelly illustrates that artistic expression knows no age limit. The episode highlights the transformative power of words, the importance of play in aging, and how simple creative exercises can unlock joy, memories, and self-expression for people of all ages. Don’t miss it!

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Origins of poemRENOVATION (1:21)
• Transition to Digital and Tactile Formats (3:13)
• Selecting Daily Passages (4:47)
• Facilitator Training and Memory Care Impact (6:50)
• Entrepreneur in Residence Experience (7:56)
• Observations Across Living Settings (9:07)
• Group Workshops and Creative Sharing (12:27)
• Comparison with Opening Minds Through Art (OMA) (15:38)
• Expanding Intergenerational Connections (19:07)
• Saving, Sharing, and Community-Building (21:23)
• Creativity Through Constraints (22:19)
• Upcoming Symposium and Collaboration (23:28)
• Abundant Aging Questions to Close (25:32)
• Connecting with Kelly and Parting Thoughts (27:37)

Abundant Aging is a podcast series presented by United Church Homes. These shows offer ideas, information, and inspiration on how to improve our lives as we grow older. To learn more and to subscribe to the show, visit abundantagingpodcast.com.

This week on the Art of Aging, host Rev. Beth Long-Higgins welcomes Margaret McDonald, an award-winning writer and pro-aging advocate. During the conversation, Margaret shares her passionate journey combating ageism through language, art, and personal experience. She discusses how her own workplace challenges in her late 40s sparked her advocacy, highlighting the pervasive and often subtle ways ageism manifests in everyday conversations, media, and cultural attitudes. Margaret’s work includes a daily blog writing 100-word essays on everyday ageism and creating the "Aging is Living" yard signs and artwork to challenge negative stereotypes about growing older. Key takeaways include the importance of recognizing and challenging ageist language, understanding that aging is a natural, dynamic process of continued growth and self-discovery, the need to shift cultural narratives that diminish or mock older adults, and so much more.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Margaret’s Journey into Aging Advocacy (1:41)
• Discovering Ageism Resources and Community (2:29)
• The Power of Language and Everyday Ageism (5:11)
• Writing 100 Words on Everyday Ageism (7:28)
• Why Words Matter: Research and Cultural Shifts (9:24)
• Changing Language and Cultural Perceptions (12:31)
• Generational Differences and Awkward Moments (16:09)
• Advocating for Better Representation in Media (20:10)
• Encouraging Others to Track Ageist References (23:08)
• Spreading Positive Aging Messages (26:41)
• Imagining a Future Without Ageism (29:13)
• Where to Find Margaret and Her Work (32:21)
• Final Thoughts and Takeaways (36:59)

Abundant Aging is a podcast series presented by United Church Homes. These shows offer ideas, information, and inspiration on how to improve our lives as we grow older. To learn more and to subscribe to the show, visit abundantagingpodcast.com.