With the rapid growth of the Canadian older adult population, it is crucial to embrace opportunities for meaningful and purposeful engagement that help promote well-being and quality of life. One area that has shown significant promise for enriching the health of older adults across all domains is participation in the arts. For older individuals living with dementia, challenges with communication and connection may increase as their dementia journey progresses. Engaging in creativity and self-expression can be an effective way to stimulate cognition, facilitate social interaction, and boost mood. The benefits of arts engagement can be seen not only in older clients and residents, but in those who care for them too.

Objectives: In this session, we will:

• a) describe arts participation and its benefits,
• b) explore common misperceptions about arts abilities, and
• c) share practical strategies and solutions for engaging older adults in the arts, including opportunities for integrating arts into everyday care practices.

Outcomes: Attendees will better understand how to integrate creativity into everyday care practices and how to engage in arts and creativity in order to cultivate connection, communication, and moments of joy within the workplace.