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Judy Rubin is a pioneer in the field of art therapy, In Part 2 of my conversation, we speculate about why art can have such a profound effect on us and what the NeuroArts Blueprint Initiative means for the future of art therapy. I also asked Judy to think about the aging process and to share whatever words of advice she had on how to age successfully.  She summarized her hopes for a successful aging with the phrase, "a good run and a soft landing."

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Angel has a unique background that combines rigorous scientific research, psychology and the arts. She has worked on clinical trials searching for drug treatments for Alzheimer's disease and has an extensive background as an art therapist.
 
In this first of two podcasts with Angel, she discusses her experience practicing art therapy, particularly with people who are experiencing cognitive decline and dementia.  We discuss why drug interventions have failed and why behavioral and lifestyle interventions can reduce risks for dementia and can be such an important aspect of any dementia treatment plan. Angel discusses her lifestyle approaches to achieving Qualongevity - living long and living well. 

Episode #3 Chapters: 

• 01:11 - Art does not lie. 
• 02:17 - A Child with Asperger’s
• 0 6:16 – Dan Cohen, Alive Inside
• 11:59 – Becoming a Research Clinician
• 13:25 – Why have AD Drug Trials Failed?
• 16:18 – Art therapy for People with AD
• 18:40 – Angel’s Approach to Qualongevity
• 20:30 – Angel’s Podcast “N2Creativity”
• 21:45 - Conclusion

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Creative Maturity is creativity that blossoms because of age and experience. There is a pervasive myth that creativity is the domain of the young and diminishes with age. This is yet another ageist stereotype that needs to be dispelled. We discuss how creativity can be enriched by experience and the development of a full portfolio of useful routines. 

We discuss the role that Gene Cohen played in confronting the myth that “you can’t teach old dogs new tricks,” and his development of the creative aging movement.  

This episode is excerpted from an interview Robin Gunn, or the Oklahoma Senior Journal, conducted with MINDRAMP’s Michael C. Patterson and Roger Anunsen.   

CREATIVE MATURITY CHAPTERS

• What is Mature Creativity? 
• The Value of Experience
• A Fixed vs. Growth Mindset
• The Miracle on the Hudson
• The Accumulation of Useful Routines
• Creativity = Novelty + Routine
• Gene Cohen – Creative Aging
• The National Center for Creative Aging
• Alive Inside – Henry & Music
• Conclusion

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In AMERICAN DEMENTIA Part 1, medical anthropologist Daniel R. George discussed how market-driven policies and practices are amplifying our vulnerability to cognitive decline and dementia. In this episode, Part 2, we focus more on potential solutions.  George makes it clear that our political and economic decisions have a profound impact on the collective health and wellbeing of our bodies and brains.  Unless we address the pathologies of current practices, we condemn future generations of older adults to ever-increasing levels of dementia. 

What can be done?  

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The Great Generation benefited from a whole raft of social safety bets and social support systems that improved living conditions and overall health. As a result, even though more people were living longer, the actual percentage of older people who suffered from dementia went down! Yes. Rates of Alzheimer's and other dementias were on the decline. 

But the social conditions that stimulated these improvements in brain health began to be dismantled in the Reagan administration, and the ascendence of hyper-capitalism and market-driven policies has accelerated. 

Medical anthropologist Daniel. R. George explains that  dementia is yet again on the rise. By placing profits above the welfare of the people, these "neoliberal" policies have create huge inequalities in wealth, in access to healthcare, education and healthy food. They have undermined the infrastructure of the country and poisoned the environments in which we live. All of which undermines the health of our bodies and brains. 

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What causes dementia? Demented political and economic systems.  This is the thesis of Peter Whitehouse's new book AMERICAN DEMENTIA: BRAIN HEALTH IN AN UNHEALTHY SOCIETY. 

Peter J. Whitehouse, MD-PhD, is a prevention oriented, intergenerational neurologist. His current main academic and practice focus is on ecopsychosocial models of brain health and aging and the role of the arts and humanities in health. He is currently focusing on new conceptions of wisdom and quality of life. Whitehouse  has a primary appointment as Professor of Neurology at Case Western Reserve, with secondary positions as Professor of Psychiatry, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, and Organizational Behavior.

This is part 2 of my discussion with Peter. In the other podcast we talk about his first book, THE MYTH OF ALZHEIMER'S.

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What are the myths of Alzheimer's discussed in Peter Whitehouse's book?  That Alzheimer's is unrelated to aging. That it is a single disease that can be "cured" by biomedical science. That it results in irretrievable lost of self and imposes inevitable despair on caregivers.  

Peter J. Whitehouse, MD-PhD, is a prevention oriented, intergenerational neurologist. His current main academic and practice focus is on ecopsychosocial models of brain health and aging and the role of the arts and humanities in health. He is currently focusing on new conceptions of wisdom and quality of life. Whitehouse  has a primary appointment as Professor of Neurology at Case Western Reserve, with secondary positions as Professor of Psychiatry, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, and Organizational Behavior.

Whitehouse is also the author, with Danny George, of  AMERICAN DEMENTIA: BRAIN HEALTH IN AN UNHEALTHY SOCIETY, which is discussed a subsequent podcast.  

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This second podcast interview with Mario Garrett [See    ] focuses on Garrett's ideas about the social and psychological causes of dementia. In essence, he believe that our mindsets about dementia, our"isomorphic representations, can cause attitudes and behaviors that contribute to cognitive decline. 

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This episode continues our conversation with gerontologist and psychologist Mario Garrett. In this part of the discussion Mario describes his priority to put care over cure. He argues that American society puts far too much emphasis on searching for a cure to Alzheimer's and much too like time, energy and money into actually addressing the needs of people who suffer from dementia and their caregivers. 

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Gerontology professor Mario Garret offers a straight-forward, no-nonsense critique  of current approaches to Alzheimer's research, particularly the overwhelming focus on addressing the Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis. 

Garrett proposes that we broaden our understanding of the true nature of the dementia syndrome and consider psychological as well as biological causes. 

Chapters Include:

• We don't understand dementia
• Historical perspectives on our Alzheimer's muddle
• We call everything dementia, blunting our understanding
• The many causes of dementia
• We need a more nuanced definition of the dementia syndrome
• Summary: consider psychological causes of dementia 

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