CORRECTION: The previous version of this email contained an incorrect link for the cited report. This has been amended below.

May 9, 2024

Dear Friends,

May is Older Americans Month. Its theme this year, Powered by Connection, is close to Arts for the Aging’s heart. Social engagement and meaningful relationships have deep impacts on our health and well-being. They combat loneliness and can help reduce risks for needing long term care.

So does regular arts participation. Take the case of Judith Bauer.

About 20 years ago, Judith was a retiring economist. Soon after, on her 70th birthday, she spent her milestone day in a cardiac lab. This time she decided it was enough, after a few years managing growing heart health issues. She hired a personal trainer. The trainer also suggested dance lessons. 

"Social dance is known to increase the part of the brain responsible for learning and memory as well to improve balance."

—2017 German report "Frontiers in Human Neuroscience"

Since then, Judith has become a celebrated dancer and creative aging practitioner. She is a member of Quicksilver, Arts for the Aging’s improvisational senior dance company, and recently joined our board. Judith dances weekly in rehearsal with the company, and they perform and teach in workshops for Arts for the Aging client communities.  “I haven’t been back in the heart lab since that birthday,” Judith says with a smile. That was two decades ago.

We cherish—this month and every month—older Americans like Judith Bauer who make the arts a regular practice in their lives, knowing its profound power to connect us, uplift us, and make us feel better.

Sending every good wish,

Janine Tursini

Director & CEO

P.S. – See Judith and me on a recent cable news episode of 50+ Montgomery.

Photos, left to right: Dancing during a special event for Arts for the Aging; in rehearsal with Quicksilver at our partner Dance Exchange’s black box theatre; dancing with clients in Arts for the Aging programs.

Address as of January 2024

Arts for the Aging 

9841 Washingtonian Blvd, Suite 200-6 

Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Located at co-working space, Launch

Phone/Email Same

(301) 255-0103 | info@aftaarts.org

Our Mission

Engaging older adults and caregivers with diverse abilities and backgrounds in health improvement and life enhancement through regular participation in the multidisciplinary arts.