North Richland Hills, TX. AGE-u-cate Training Institute (www.AGEucate.com) is pleased to announce a partnership with OMA, a program headquartered at the Scripps Gerontology Center, an Ohio Center of Excellence at Miami University. AGE-u-cate will offer the OMA certification program to its expansive partner network of dementia professionals and volunteers who work in eldercare, community-based organizations, universities, and hospitals.
Opening Minds through Art (OMA) was founded by Dr. Elizabeth “Like” Lokon in 2007 and is grounded in person-centered care principles. People living with dementia (artists) are paired with volunteers (students, families, caregivers) who are trained to rely on imagination instead of memory and focus on remaining strengths instead of lost skills. OMA enables people living with dementia to assume new roles as artists and teachers and leave a legacy of beautiful artwork.
“We are excited to collaborate with the OMA team. This innovative program is a great fit to AGE-u-cate’s suite of impactful programs that help to improve the quality of life for persons living with dementia”, says Laura Ellen Christian, AGE-u-cate’s President.
Through this partnership a new 2-hour certification course, Intergenerational Arts Programming for People Living with Dementia, is available. This course teaches core principles of the full 12-hour OMA training program, equipping the learner with foundational tools necessary to engage and interact with people living with dementia through arts-based programming modalities.
“The AGE-u-cate model is exactly what we were looking for to help get OMA into the hands of more care partners. We look forward to seeing where we go together!” Dr. Lokon added.
About AGE-u-cate Training Institute
AGE-u-cate Training Institute delivers evidence-informed, high-impact caregiver education and meaningful life enrichment programs, improving the quality of life for older adults.
AGE-u-cate contact: Laura Ellen Christian
817-857-1157 x 217
OMA contact: Meghan Young, MGS Associate Director
Youngma3@MiamiOH.edu 513-529-1701