Partners in Arts Participation

Perceived or real barriers to participation are addressed: Some of the barriers we see in the people who utilize our DayOut! program are mobility and dementia. We work with people who can’t get around as easily as they used to. The beauty of our work with Kairos is that they are able to participate (and encouraged to participate) in any way that is comfortable for them. This can mean dancing or swaying in their chair or wheelchair, with movements modified as needed. Additionally, with the barrier of dementia, we are able to build on their past experiences, which seem to be much more present than the current time. We encourage participants to think of things from the past and build on those memories. We also encourage everyone to be comfortable with who they are and how they need to move or experience what we are doing; we encourage the sense of community, that all are worthy of love and respect. 2: The mission of FamilyMeans is to strengthen communities by strengthening families. Our 2013 – 2015 Strategic Plan’s three stated strategies are to serve and engage the growing aging population, sustain and expand our prevention and support services, and continue to create a culture willing to recreate, renew and innovate in all areas of the agency. This spirit of inclusivity and community helps us to achieve our goals. Volunteers work with participants one-on-one; it looks like a group of adults having a good time. One of the reasons this is so important is that some people in the program feel uncomfortable because of their health issue. With the Kairos ALIVE program, volunteers and participants blend and focus on participation rather than performance. The participants are also part of the action, and not being entertained like a spectator, which they love.