The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey will be featuring art from some of SAGE Eldercare’s adult day program participants. The artwork will be used for a series of printed note cards which will be available for sale in the art center, located at 68 Elm Street in Summit, as well as at some of their events.
Ray Boyd’s “Artichoke,” Chas Burgdorff’s “Dawn,” Walter Grossman’s “My Little Birds,” and Margaret Lett’s “The River” are the featured artwork. They were created at SAGE’s Spend-A-Day program when staff from The Visual Arts Center came to SAGE for an “Art from the Heart” program. Each box set of eight note cards, costing $10, comes with two prints of each of the artwork submitted by SAGE’s adult day participants.
“It’s amazing to see the skill level that the Visual Arts Center staff can bring out of our adult day program participants, many of whom are dealing with some level of dementia,” noted Deanna Butters, Director of SAGE’s Spend-A-Day adult day program. “We are grateful to the center for displaying the art at their center and featuring some of it on these note cards and the families are also appreciative of the support and opportunity for their loved ones to artistically express themselves.”
SAGE’s adult day program, Spend-A-Day, offers a day of stimulating, structured activities, individualized to each participant’s needs. Daily, a full calendar of activities might include arts and crafts, musical entertainment, sing-a-longs, mentally stimulating games, discussion groups on books, films, and current events, as well as exercise and holiday or birthday celebrations. The adult day program is offered Monday to Friday, with an option for extended hours of care, and is staffed by caring, experienced interdisciplinary professionals, including a full-time registered nurse and licensed geriatric social worker. The program is most helpful to families who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or is post-stroke or post-surgery. The program provides valuable respite for caregivers who work outside the home or need time to tend to other responsibilities.
For more information on SAGE’s Spend-A-Day program, please call 908.273.5550 or visit www.sageeldercare.org.
About the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
For more than 80 years, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey has been exclusively dedicated to viewing, making and learning about contemporary art. Recognized as a leading non-profit arts organization, the Art Center’s renowned studio school, acclaimed exhibitions, and educational outreach initiatives serve thousands of youth, families, seniors, and people with special needs every year.
About SAGE
Since 1954, SAGE Eldercare has been helping make the communities it serves an amazing place to age. The organization provides a wide array of information, support, and services designed to help individuals lead the most independent and active lives possible. From helping with errands, to exercise classes, community programs, care planning, and home health care, SAGE’s expertise helps older adults remain independent in their own homes. SAGE is committed to being the leading provider of programs and services to meet the changing needs of older adults, their families, and caregivers throughout Union, Essex, Morris, and Somerset Counties. For more information, please call 908.273.5550 or visit www.sageeldercare.org.
Photo Caption: Margaret Lett’s “The River” was created at SAGE Eldercare as part of an ongoing “Art from the Heart” program with The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and will be one of four featured pieces of artwork on note cards being sold at the art center.