Teach someone to fish, and you feed them for a lifetime. Teach someone to paint fish decoys . . . and the ripple effects reach the whole community.
That’s been the case at Maryhill Manor, an elder care facility in Enderlin, North Dakota, and a partner in the North Dakota Council on the Arts’ Art for Life program.
What began as an art and wellness project with decoy artists Rick and Connie Whittier turned into a lively conversation among the residents about the joys of fishing. That conversation inspired a multi-year collaboration with city and county officials, and the Army Corps of Engineers, to construct a wheelchair-accessible fishing dock.
Now all community members—Maryhill residents and non-residents alike—can enjoy a day of fishing, fresh air, and fun.
“It’s phenomenal,” says Troyd Geist, North Dakota’s State Folklorist, arts council staff member, and developer of Art for Life. And it is just one of many stories from the program’s 25 years of existence.
Reconnection and Respite
Art for Life connects elder care facilities with local artists who bring painting, poetry, music, theater, and a host of other artforms directly to residents. These activities combat helplessness, loneliness, and boredom, which can be major obstacles for elders.
A formal review assessing the program’s impact at Maryhill Manor reported improved mood, reduced anxiety, and increased eye contact and verbal communication among regular participants—even, for one individual, an improved PHQ-9 depression score.
“We’re probably at 14 to 16 different communities,” says Geist. “We focus on [using art] as a tool for wellness, which includes reintegrating the community back into the care facility and people in the care facility back into the community.”
Being creative together has measurably increased residents’ confidence and sociability. It also creates memories for families, who see new sides of their loved ones through an original poem, a colorful collage, or a fish decoy.
“These become legacy items for the family,” says Geist. “There’s these ripple effects beyond just the individual.”
Another signature element of Art for Life is its emphasis on building relationships between elders and young people, with the help of artists. “It has turned out to be a favorite component,” says Geist. “The kids love it, the elders love it. Some schools will meet with the elders once a month.”
One example came from the city of Ellendale, where students interviewed elders, then wrote and performed a play based on their lives.
“There was a sense of calm throughout the facility the entire day. There was no sundowning,” says Geist. “The children and our elders, they’re collaborating together; they’re also collaborating with the artist. It works so well in a lot of ways.”
The relationships built through Art for Life continue beyond the program itself. Geist recalls one resident, a veteran with no children of his own, who formed a bond with some of the teenagers he met through the program. When he died, the boys took off school to attend his funeral.
“We’re really talking about impacting not just the wellness of that individual but the wellness of the community at large,” he says. “They’re just fantastic stories.”
