A Brief History of OMA in Virginia and Art for the Journey’s Training and Expansion:
Since 2015, Art for the Journey has facilitated OMA in Richmond, Virginia. This amazing person-centered, intergenerational abstract art program was founded by Dr. Elizabeth Lokon at the Scripps Gerontology Center – Miami University – Ohio.
Since 2017 Art for the Journey has been accredited by Scripps as a training center to train and certify OMA Facilitators.
Since 2020, Art for the Journey has partnered with LeadingAge Virginia to train and certify hundreds of nursing home staff across the Commonwealth and beyond. It is this experience, on witnessing the profound joy, the hunger for social engagement, and the positive results of the OMA program that opened the door for Art for the Journey to create a new art-making model, based on the essential elements of OMA, will bring the same joy and experience of well-being to all people, across age and ANY disability or barrier. We call this new program ELA (Elevating Lives through Art), matching volunteers one to one for each participant.
During the COVID19 post-pandemic timeframe, a great deal of evidence and reporting emerged from notable sources and health professionals citing a rise in “LONELINESS,” and its impact on health outcomes. A report from U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, speaks of an “epidemic” of loneliness and social isolation as a true world health concern. In 2020 he wroteE “The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World.” In this book he helps define the difference between loneliness and solitude (which is something we sometimes seek). His description helps us understand how one is good in many cases and the other is a deficit. “Solitude is a state of peaceful aloneness, where we reflect, re-ground, and re-center, furthermore, this supports our authenticity, and helps our ability to approach others.”
In contrast: He describes “Loneliness” as the missing social-connection you would like to have.
The lack of social connection poses a significant risk for individual health and longevity.
In another recently published book, Author, Dr. Jeremy Nobel says, ”Just like thirst is a signal you need hydration, loneliness is a signal that you need human connection.” His book is titled: “Project UnLonely – Healing our Crisis of Dis-connection.”
He is also founder of the Foundation for Art and Healing, and he believes in a benefit to “creating distance from loneliness” by taking steps. The first step he recommends is to be authentically curious, to explore (which opens channels), and further, that the creative arts are very helpful. He describes that a made object is something that initiates conversation, even looking at art can do this.
Other reports such as this report from the , World Health Organization , indicate health impact of social isolation from both mental and physical health with statistics such as:
The lack of social connection poses a significant risk for individual health and longevity. The report explains that loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29% respectively.
More broadly, lacking social connection can increase the risk for premature death as much as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day.
Poor or insufficient social connection is associated with:
29% increased risk of heart disease
32% increased risk of stroke.
Increased risk for anxiety, depression, and dementia.
May increase susceptibility to viruses and respiratory illness.
