LifeVerse

Imagine a group of older adults sitting in a circle reciting favorite verses, telling lively, often poignant stories of how they first learned the verse, and then as a group writing their first poem.  Such a poetry program can be as simple as one library staff member spending a couple of hours per month facilitating activities
with a group of older adults in the library or at a community site. Or, it can be as elaborate as having dozens of trained volunteers spreading out all over the community conducting such programs in nursing homes, hot lunch sites, assisted living programs and faith-based facilities. Whichever route you choose, a poetry program with a group of seniors is sure to be meaningful and enjoyable for everyone.

Download the LifeVerse Brochure for Librarians (.pdf)

Why Poetry and Older Adults

Evidence-based research shows that poetry and other forms of cultural expression offer myriad benefits for older adults:

•improves interpersonal and intergenerational relationships
•helps improve memory
•decreases stress, lowers blood pressure, and increases positive short and long term mood changes

LifeVerse Project Goals

The goals of this project are:

1) To provide poetry experiences that address the needs, interests, desires, hopes and fears of Greensboro’s older adults;

2) To use poetry, through an intergenerational project, to connect our elders to the overall community, based on the belief that elders have much to teach us about how to create a more just and caring community;

3) To use the LifeVerse Project to help the entire community better understand aging and end-of-life issues;

4) To use poetry to explore the following themes:

•individual’s memories of early experiences with poetry;
•how poetry can provide a meaningful way to review and reflect on one’s life;
•how poetry can help relatives and caregivers better understand the lives of elders;
•how poetry can illuminate, for the elder and the community, topics such as end-of-life issues, ageism and cultural differences in attitudes towards older adults;
•how intergenerational experiences using poetry can be transformative for all participants;
•how social workers, medical staff and others from the helping professions can use poetry as a tool for healing.
•the use of poetry as a tool for staff development of caregivers.

Volunteers Are Needed

Volunteers are trained in facilitation techniques and simple poetry-writing techniques. The training sessions last about 3 hours and are conducted by library staff, poets and staff from Center for Creative Aging. During the training sessions, volunteers are introduced to these modules: Working with Older Adults; Importance of Creative Expression Activities; Poems That Are Familiar to People Born 1920-1945; Contemporary Poems; Techniques for Writing Poems as a Group.

LifeVerse is now looking for volunteers.

Interested in volunteering?  Need more information? Please contact Steve Sumerford at 336-373-3636 or e-mail: steve.sumerford@greensboro-nc.gov

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