Building Meaning and Belonging
Avot Tarbut, our flagship program with older adults, aims to develop cognitive and social resilience among vulnerable older adults living in underserved areas in Israel using artistic and cultural tools. The program places the older adult as an integral and significant part of the local community and culture.
Our method
We do this by using two tools:
1.”Stories from Home”- unique artistic meetings (one-on-one) for older adults who are housebound, led by the Tarbut artists. These methods include poetry writing, visual arts and digital tools which are used uncover the personal legacy of the participants and turn them into a work of art, while practicing needed cognitive skills.
2.”The Culture Community”- Establishing a local cross-generation leadership group, combining seniors and younger adults and teens. The group uses the diverse skills and life experience of the participants to lead projects in the local community.
Structure
The program will directly benefit 1,300 older adults from disadvantaged populations in 12 cities, providing them with direct services, otherwise unavailable to them. The participants in the housebound program, will each undergo a meaningful encounter with an artist once a week, in which they will practice writing, drawing, and/or musical skills. The artist will touch on content relating to personal stories, family heritage, and professional/community experience each older adult carry with him/her. The participants in the local crossgeneration leadership groups will interact with youth and teens from their community, share their stories, and create art together through a weekly meeting. This will benefit their sense of belonging and importance to their community.
cities
older adults
Young volunteers
Artists, group leaders
