Art for health

In January, senior citizens at Al’z Place spent a week creating artwork through the Art Without Boundaries program. Robyn Katz, the program director at Al’z Place, a model daycare facility for adults with Alzheimer’s disease or severe memory impairment, said the clients love the program because it is stimulating and fun. “Everyone loves the gratification they get from doing the paintings and showing them off to their friends,” Katz said. South Florida artist Noelle Hammer founded the program. She works with Alzheimer’s patients through MnemeTherapy, which uses everyday pleasures such as singing, movement, painting and storytelling in a unique combination to stimulate dramatic changes in the brain. Each client has the opportunity to paint twice during the week, but the activity isn’t only about being artistic. “What we are doing here isn’t just about painting,” she said. “It is about doing the painting. It’s about the process.” The paintings the seniors created were featured and on sale Feb. 1 at the Moonlight and Martinis gala to raise money for ElderCare. — Nickie Doria