Partners in Arts Participation
ACHF Arts Access
Participating seniors have a fuller life by participating in theatre as artists. Staff are surveyed about the seniors’ engagement after each class. Following the final lesson, staff are surveyed about the overall value of the project and any benefits they noticed outside of class. 2: Augustana Open Circle staff learn how to provide this program to clients in the future, increasing the number of clients who benefit from theatre. CLIMB evaluates staff trainees’ capacity to lead theatre activities using a rubric. After training, staff self-assess their own confidence levels leading theatre activities with a survey.
Participants at three facilities were offered twenty improv classes, which CLIMB staff morphed into a play that the participants performed for an audience. Worksheets were created to capture the data needed to record each session and the names of the participants, the number of staff required to assist in the sessions, and the amount of time for each session. Also collected were the responses of the participants when asked what they did and didn’t like about the sessions. 2: Open Circle staff had confidence in their ability to lead theater activities in the future after working with CLIMB theatre artists. The surveys taken at the end of each session at each location document the number of older adults participating along with their shared observations about the art they experienced. In addition, the staff verbally surveyed family members and other caregivers, who were very excited about the level of engagement.