There are two parts to participating in this study: (1) participating in weekly or biweekly workshop sessions (two hours each) for approximately two months and (2) receiving four sets of health assessments that will be conducted approximately bimonthly and will typically take 45 minutes to complete each set.

What is the study schedule like?

Participants will be asked to receive Health Assessments four times and participate in one of the following three Art Workshop Series, which will be determined considering their availability.

Series 1

At the Barboursville Senior Center:

• Tuesday, July 18 – Assessment 1 (approximately 45 minutes; a specific time on this date will be set for each participant)
• Tuesdays from July 25 to Sept 5 at 12:30 – 2:30 pm (2 hours) – six weekly workshop sessions and a concluding presentation session
• Three more sets of assessments are scheduled for Sept and Nov 2023 and Feb 2024 (specific dates/times will be set for each participant)

At the Ceredo Senior Wellness Center:

• Wednesday, July 19 – Assessment 1 (approximately 45 minutes; a specific time on this date will be set for each participant)
• Wednesdays from July 26 to Sept 6 at 2:00 – 4:00 pm (2 hours) – six weekly workshop sessions and a concluding presentation session
• Three more sets of assessments are scheduled for Sept and Nov 2023 and Feb 2024 (specific dates/times will be set for each participant)

Series 2

At the Barboursville Senior Center:

• (1) Tuesday, July 18 & (2) the middle of Sept (TBD) – two sets of assessments (approximately 45 minutes each; specific times on these dates will be set for each participant)
• Tuesdays from Sept 19 to Oct 31 at 12:30 – 2:30 pm (2 hours) – six weekly workshop sessions and a concluding presentation session
• Two more sets of assessments are scheduled for Nov 2023 and Feb 2024 (specific dates/times will be set for each participant)

At the Ceredo Senior Wellness Center:

• (1) Wednesday, July 19 & (2) the middle of Sept (TBD) – two sets of assessments (approximately 45 minutes each; specific times on these dates will be set for each participant)
• Wednesdays from Sept 20 to Nov 1 at 2:00 – 4:00 pm (2 hours) – six weekly workshop sessions and a concluding presentation session
• Two more sets of assessments are scheduled for Nov 2023 and Feb 2024 (specific dates/times will be set for each participant)

Series 3 (more specific schedules will be provided later)

At the Barboursville Senior Center & the Ceredo Senior Wellness Center:

• (1) Sept 2023, (2) Nov 2023, and (3) Feb 2024 – three sets of assessments (approximately 45 minutes each)
• Feb to April 2024 – six weekly workshop sessions (2 hours each) and a concluding presentation session
• The last set of assessments will be scheduled for a date after finishing the workshop series in April 2024

The art workshop will be taught by Marshall Art alumni, supported by Sandra Reed, who is a Professor of Art at Marshall University. In the art workshop, you will create numerous colorful, small works on paper using drawing media and water-based paints. These small works will be assembled into a bouquet within an embellished container. You will learn basic color theory, how to use various art media including layering and mark-making, and a method for image transfer. You will be supported to find personal meaning in what you are creating. Participants will be encouraged to share what they learn and create with others in their lives from week to week and in a display following the final class.

No prior art experience is required. The art workshop is designed to support learning, self-expression, and social engagement.

There is no cost directly related to this study as we will be providing art materials and other supplies free of charge. Due to the limited budget, we won't be able to cover the transportation costs that may occur for you to participate in the workshop and assessments. Although there is no compensation for participating in this study, we are aiming to provide a meaningful opportunity for you to engage in and enjoy visual art activities with your peers!

You will meet a research staff member individually. You will be asked to complete a paper questionnaire (including sets of questions related to depressive symptoms, stress, social connection, and loneliness), a pain scale, and a cognitive test. You will be able to ask the staff member any questions or share any concerns at any time during the assessments. You will be asked to complete four sets of assessments that will be given every two to three months. The time needed for each set of assessments will differ among individuals, but it will typically take 45 minutes to complete each set.

To the best of our ability, your answers in this study will remain confidential. Any reports and presentations about the findings from this study will not include your name or any other information that could identify you. The researchers will not share the information with unauthorized personnel, though under certain circumstances, the researchers may be required by law to allow the Marshall University Office of Research Integrity or the Federal Office of Human Research Protection to view your records. However, such circumstances are very rare, and the purpose of their viewing our records is to ensure the ethical conduct of the researchers, and if necessary, protect the participants by assessing and minimizing the risk. We don't expect that those circumstances will occur in this project.

You may withdraw from this study at any stage after you consent to participate. Although we will encourage you to first share your concerns with our teaching artist or other staff members, you can stop participating in this study at any time if you wish.

A potential benefit is improvements in multiple aspects of your health and well-being. Though we don't yet have scientific evidence on the effectiveness of this specific visual art workshop, the main purpose of this study is to evaluate it. In general, previous research suggests the potential benefits of participating in visual art and other art activities for enhancing the cognitive and other aspects of health and promoting healthy aging (https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/participating-arts-creates-paths-healthy-aging). We are hoping to demonstrate that our visual art workshop can improve the health and well-being of our participants as a pilot study and then expand our research by conducting larger-scale follow-up studies. No adverse problems have been reported as far as we know.

Most people experience symptoms related to cognition, depression, stress, pain, social connection, and/or loneliness at some point in their lives, but some of them, especially older adults, may be reluctant to ask for help. Considering this situation, we see the importance of taking a community-based approach to enhance these specific aspects of health and well-being. Your participation in this study will be beneficial in terms of contribution to improving scientific knowledge of the effectiveness of community-based visual art workshops as a way to manage symptoms, as opposed to what is done inside a doctor’s or therapist’s office. We will be able to quantify specific benefits of visual art activities for older adults with hard data. The data may allow us to expand our project. Our data may be useful for non-profit organizations to advocate for arts funding as a senior service or to inform the government on the allocation of funds, among other uses.

There will only be 12 participants in each group. We will make every effort to help you feel comfortable. If you still don't feel comfortable you can quit anytime.

This research study is for older adults. Although we want you to spend meaningful time with your grandchildren, this art project is for you only.

Yes, you may have a family member or paid caregiver assist you during the workshop.

Yes, the artwork that you create is yours to keep or to give to someone that you care about.

No. Each older adult may participate in one Life Bouquet workshop, either at the Barboursville Senior Center or the Ceredo Senior Wellness Center.