Emeritus Society Fall 2026 Kick-Off
Take Art Twice a Day: When Creativity is the PrescriptionCost:
FREE per personDuration:
1h 30minAbout this experience
Tuesday, August 25, 1:00 – 2:30 pm
No charge, registration is required.
This talk summarizes research on a healthcare approach called "Arts on Prescription," where people are encouraged to participate in creative activities in the community through receiving a prescription from a health professional. This is different from art therapy. Sudha Shreeniwas and Lia Miller have collaborated on Arts on Prescription through a community-engaged research partnership. We focus on older adults. Arts participation is highlighted as an effective, non-pharmacological, pleasant, lower-cost approach to enhance mental well-being, reduce loneliness, and prevent cognitive decline. Studies show it improves quality of life by connecting patients to creative activities, fostering purpose and social connection, and reducing emergency room visits. ‘Arts’ are widely defined, comprising a wide range of forms including active participation (e.g. painting, playing an instrument, etc.) and receptive participation (e.g. attending a play or concert). This approach is a promising add-on to traditional healthcare at a time of increasing costs and a growing older population, many of whom face loneliness, isolation, and chronic disease. However, a recent review published by Sudha and her team shows that older persons are not the specific focus of much existing research, and study designs are not strong enough to draw robust conclusions and underpin practice and policy recommendations.
Refund Policy
To receive a refund, a written request must be received 3 business days before the first class. A $25 processing fee will be deducted from the refund. Cancellation requests received less than 3 business days before the first class but before the second meeting will receive a 50% refund. ALL written requests should be emailed to emeritus@spartanstrategiesinc.org or mailed to the address below.
Spartan Strategies, Inc.
Attn: Emeritus Society
5900 Summit Avenue, #201
Browns Summit, NC 27214
Your Host
Sudha Shreeniwas, is a Professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies at UNC Greensboro. Her focus is gerontology, with a community-engaged research approach. One area of interest is arts participation and the well-being of older adults from diverse communities, including immigrants and refugees. She thinks it would be great if Arts on Prescription could become part of the US healthcare system.
Lia Miller is an artist and advocate with a BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design and nearly three decades of experience at the intersection of arts and healthy aging. In 2004, she co-founded Creative Aging Network–NC (CAN-NC), a nonprofit dedicated to enriching the lives of adults through creative expression, education, and social connection, bridging generations and cultures. She has trained hundreds of teaching artists and healthcare professionals and developed programming that challenges ageism and amplifies underrepresented voices across North Carolina.