Meet Create For Life & Co-Founder Ruth Katz
At Careseekers, we are always on the look out for innovative and enriching activities for our clients. We have heard great things about Create For Life.
Create for Life offers Sydney seniors the opportunity to participate in a range of creative and therapeutic activities under the supervision of qualified, experienced and motivated therapists and specialised facilitators.
Create for Life offers impactful approach to wellness and creativity, providing a range of activities that include Music Therapy, Art Therapy, Yoga Therapy & Meditation, and Life Story Writing. We had the opportunity to sit down with the co-founder of Create for Life, Ruth Katz, to learn more about their vision, the benefits of their programs, and the services they offer.
Here's a glimpse into our conversation:
Why did you start Create For Life?
Because we've been seeing the benefits in engaging with creative arts for seniors and people with dementia, for years. It's widely accepted that creativity is a key factor in supporting healthy ageing and we've all witnessed that first-hand, over and over again.
What are these benefits?
Extensive! Increased connection, improved mood, increased mobility and gross and fine-motor skills, elevated confidence and self-esteem, development of new skills, opportunities for reminiscence...
One of your favourite success stories?
We worked with a devoted wife of 70 years, whose ailing husband required high care. She understood that she would need to increase her own connections and engage in a new skill, as her life had changed so much from what she had always known. When we met her, the last art class she'd taken was before she married, but she wanted to reignite her interest. She was encouraged and supported, and with positive reinforcement her self-esteem grew. She gained confidence and began to find complete fulfilment in what she was doing, producing numerous wonderful artworks. Her work has since been entered in various competitions, and today - at 95 - she has just been listed as a finalist in a women's art prize, in the over-18 section. The transformation in her is remarkable. Needless to say she is beyond thrilled with this achievement!
What if someone was not creative in their younger years?
A passion for creative arts can well and truly be ignited, at whatever age or stage you are. With person-centred care and lots of encouragement, our participants are guided into finding a medium that suits their needs and capabilities, whether it be mosaic, clay, sketching, painting and so on.
The feeling of accomplishment is amazing and one can visibly see how vastly their self esteem grows.
Services you provide at Create For Life?
We deliver our creative and wellness services in both small groups in community venues, or to individuals/small groups in the comfort of their own home. Our collective of specialised facilitators and professional artists are currently offering programs in the following practices:
- Art Therapy
- Music Therapy
- Yoga Therapy & Meditation
- Life Story Writing
Our sessions run for between 60-90 minutes to enable a relaxed pace and flexibility. Programs are designed to be delivered to an individual, or to a group, depending on the partipant/s requirement.
A care partner or care worker is welcome to take part in sessions at no additional cost.
For more information, please visit Create for Life or email info@createforlife.com.au
Create For Life is located in Sydney - services are only available in Sydney.
To become a care or support worker, please visit www.careseekers.com.au/carer
To find disability support services, please visit www.careseekers.com.au/services/disability-support-workers
To find aged care services, please visit www.careseekers.com.au/services/aged-care-workers
To make a referral, please visit https://www.careseekers.com.au/referrals
