Empowering Creativity for All: How Universal Design Makes Creative Aging Programs Thrive
Unveiling the importance of integrating universal design principles in creative aging practices, featuring accessibility tips and program examples from Lifetime Arts Trainers.
A participant during a painting program hosted at the Pullen Arts Center in Raleigh, NC. Credit: Teresa Moore
Cynthia Edmondson is an artist in her seventies and a painter since childhood. When worsening multiple sclerosis caused a loss of fine motor skills in her dominant hand, she was afraid to try and paint again. Carolynn Whitford is a singer and dancer in her sixties, whose Type I Diabetes has triggered diabetic retinopathy, impairing her vision. Compounding this challenge, Carolynn suffered a traumatic fall which limited her mobility and required years of physical therapy.
To some, it might seem that the physical difficulties these women face would prohibit them from continuing their artistic practices, but that is not the case. At Art League Houston’s Healing Art program, teaching artists took the time to help Cynthia adapt to painting with her left hand, a modification which has empowered her to continue creating incredible art. Carolynn has also found renewed hope through the accessibility of Silver Shoes Dance Club’s virtual classes, led by teaching artist and Lifetime Arts trainer Daniela Del Giorno, where she can participate from the safety and comfort of her home.
In as little as five years, the population of older adults (55+) in the U.S. will far exceed any other demographic. Recent CDC statistics show, “More than one in seven Americans are older than age 65 and two in five of those have some form of disability” (Hirzy 11). Cynthia and Carolynn are not alone in facing new challenges as they age, but the joy they share, born out of arts programming designed with all abilities in mind, is not always accessible to everyone.
With a growing population of older adults comes a heightened risk of social isolation and associated health issues. Creative aging programs play a vital role in ensuring people thrive in older age as part of a vibrant learning community, and programs that are most successful center on inclusivity, flexibility, and social connections. Universal design holds the key to unlocking the full potential of creative aging programs.
Universal Design Principles and Practices in Creative Aging
“Universal design is design that’s usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design.”
–Ronald Mace
In the 1980’s, Ronald Mace coined the term Universal Design (UD) which was born out of his own frustration as a wheelchair user navigating a culture that designed buildings and cities which were increasingly inaccessible to him. Embedding UD practices into public spaces and programming from the start ensures safety, usability, and accessibility for everyone. UD comprises seven core principles aimed at equitable, flexible, intuitive, and accessible design. Originally intended for designers, educators soon recognized its potential to minimize barriers for students, enhancing engagement and accessibility.
Older adult students, like any group of people, come with diverse learning styles as well as varying physical and cognitive abilities. Ellen Hirzy discusses the need for redesign when it comes to creative aging programs in her article, “Centering Anti-Ableism in Creative Aging Programs.” Hirzy explains how creative aging programs are in a unique position to work at the intersection between ageism and ableism. Hirzy writes, “They can be anti-ageist because they focus on arts learning and skill building for older people. They take place in engaging, supportive environments where older adults are valued as active, capable learners and creators with talent, drive, and commitment. They also can be anti-ableist because their approach to teaching and learning is asset-based, not deficit-based. Organizations and practitioners identify physical, perceptual, and logistical barriers to engagement and work to remove them” (11-12).
In real time, applying UD principles to a creative aging class might look like:
Equitable Use: Offer a variety of art materials like large paint brushes, adapted scissors, and magnifying glasses to cater to different physical abilities.
Flexibility in Use: Provide step-by-step instructions with visuals, but also allow for individual creativity and exploration of techniques.
Simple and Intuitive Use: Begin with basic skills and gradually increase complexity, offering clear demonstrations throughout the class.
Perceptible Information: Use well-lit spaces with good acoustics, and provide written or printed instructions in large fonts.
Tolerance for Error: Encourage experimentation and emphasize the process over a perfect final product. Offer opportunities for practice and revision.
Low Physical Effort: Incorporate seated activities and breaks as needed. Offer lightweight easels or adjustable workstations.¹
Applying UD Principles to Creative Aging
Lifetime Arts is promoting the application of UD principles in creative aging practices to maximize inclusivity and accessibility in order to reach the widest range of older adults as possible. As a follow-up to Creative Aging Foundations for Teaching Artists training, Lifetime Arts’ has recently launched “Inclusive by Design: Engaging All Older Adult Learners,” a new training aimed at integrating UD principles into teaching practices. Julie Kline, Lifetime Arts Director of Education and Training, is committed to fostering a collaborative creative aging community, where teaching artists are equipped with the tools and training to support the varying abilities and needs of participants.
“Applying universal design principles when you’re planning the program enables you to be proactive by ensuring your class is happening in an accessible space, you have a variety of tools/materials for multiple needs, and your facilitation plans are inclusive. Working through this process, you’re not assuming anything about a student’s abilities because of age, and you’re not limiting the possibility of full participation based on perceived ability.” ²
Julie Kline, Lifetime Arts’ Director of Education & Training
Inclusively designed creative aging programs also lead to a more sustainable program model by supporting and retaining current participants while also attracting new populations which may have previously felt excluded. Intentionally implementing UD principles can even bolster funding as it enables organizations to appeal to funders who prioritize wellbeing and can demonstrate their active commitment to accessibility and inclusion in grant proposals.
¹ Checklists like the NEA’s accessibility checklist or the Teach with GIVE inclusive design checklist can be helpful in planning accessible and inclusive programs.
² Inclusive by Design with Julie Kline Q&A
Making Your Class More Inclusive
Lifetime Arts Trainers share best practices and examples of how their creative aging programs are inclusively designed for their students. Download the audio transcript
Structuring classes through the lens of UD requires flexibility, empowering teaching artists to adapt lesson plans and materials to meet the diverse needs of every participant.
For example, when a teaching artist has older adults with limited dexterity in a painting class, adapting the paint brushes by sliding foam hair curlers onto the handles or enhancing the grip by using sports tape or clay would allow all students to participate, improving equity and inclusion. Flexibility in instruction may also be necessary in a dance class where participants have varying cognitive and physical needs. In this case, a teaching artist may need to explain and demonstrate movements while gradually building sequences, or offer dance adaptations such as allowing alternative versions of movements for arms and hands, and incorporating movements for heads, eyebrows, and lips.³ These examples demonstrate several UD principles in action: equitable use of tools and materials, flexibility in adaptations, simple instructions utilizing multiple communication modes, and offering low physical effort options.
Jade Lam is a Lifetime Arts Trainer who teaches Chinese brush painting programs. Jade incorporates culturally responsive, equity-minded teaching practices to ensure her classes are welcoming and inclusive. Jade says, “I want to ensure students with different cultural backgrounds can take my class and not feel left out. So when I design my program, I always try to have good diversity in terms of subjects or topics that we study in class so that everybody can relate to it.” Jade’s commitment to equity and inclusion creates a sense of belonging in her classes, which is a core aspect of UD.
Jade also emphasizes the importance of flexibility when designing a curriculum for creative aging classes. She says, “When I try to design a curriculum, the first thing is flexibility. Students have different needs, and for my art form, which is Chinese brush painting, I always try to be flexible in terms of material used, painting styles, classroom setup, etc. I'll give you an example. Some of my students can't see very well, or they can't distinguish color very well, so I try to be flexible in terms of material used. I try to ask them to use a high contrast color combination to paint, such as black and white.”
As Amy Barron says in “Beyond Older Age,” “Flexibility involves an ability to improvise and shift strategies on the fly to meet challenges and grasp opportunities” (32). This approach not only expands the reach of creative aging initiatives, but also enriches the collective experience, sparking new perspectives, connections, and artistic expressions among participants. The results? Older adults can thrive in creative aging programs and create art that is not only beneficial for their own health and well being, but to the arts industry as a whole.
By promoting flexibility and accessibility in programs, Lifetime Arts is not only supporting older adults in the arts, but supporting emerging artists seeking to thrive in the second half of life. In “Older, Gifted and from the Global Majority,” Arti Prashar Obe writes, “Older artists are still relevant and can produce innovative and pioneering creative projects” (12).
To meet the moment and ensure that no one has to age alone, older adult serving organizations must do their utmost best to cultivate spaces of belonging. Utilizing resources like the ones shared here can help teaching artists and programmers prepare for each person that will enter the room.
In the realm of creative aging, universal design isn't just a feature — it's a transformative force driving audience development, program sustainability, and fostering a more vibrant, inclusive arts community for all.
³ Inclusive Arts Vermont provides excellent examples of adaptations in their Adapting Art Materials resource, which includes a comprehensive list of adaptations for accessibility in arts programs.
This issue of the Creative Aging Resource Journal was written by Jamie Phear. Jamie is a writer and educator based in London, with a decade of experience working in higher education. She is currently working on a book about identity and calling.
Resources
Creative Ageing – What Next?: An anthology published by the Baring Foundation, which includes essays by creative aging practitioners outlining an agenda for the movement's future.
Beyond Older Age by Amy Barron: A detailed booklet for those seeking to create inclusive programs for older adult populations. Barron seeks to educate policy practitioners and academics on innovative tools to support the diverse, everyday lives of older individuals.
Centering Anti-Ableism in Creative Aging Programs by Ellen Hirzy: An exploration of designing creative aging programs with an anti-ableist lens. Hirzy provides key insights into the practical changes needed and the benefits of implementing these changes.
Inclusive Arts Vermont Resources: Inclusive Arts Vermont have put together a comprehensive resource list on how best to engage people of all abilities in the arts, including a list of resources specifically for teaching artists.
What Do the 7 Principles of Universal Design Look Like in the Art Room?: Lindsey McGinnis shares how UD principles support inclusion and accessibility in art programs. Much of this is applicable to creative aging programs so this can be a helpful resource for teaching artists.
Share your universal design creative aging resource which could be featured in our database.
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Inclusive by Design: Engaging All Older Adult Learners Training
Learn how to apply universal design principles to your curriculum plans to minimize learning barriers and utilize artform-specific adaptive tools to design fully inclusive programs. Featured vital voices include experienced teaching artists, creative aging program participants with disabilities, and a gerontologist. Learn more about it in this interview with Julie Kline!Creative Aging Community Network (Coming this July)
Connect with alumni of our Creative Aging Foundations training and gain exclusive access to quarterly peer network conversations and field updates, 24/7 access to streamlined learning modules and high-demand tools and templates, deep dives into key creative aging topics, and discounts on select Lifetime Arts services. Talk to us if you’re interested in joining!
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A participant during a drawing program taught by Lifetime Arts Trainer, Lynda Monick-Isenberg, and hosted at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA) in Minnesota. Credit: Julie Bourman