Let Your Spirit Soar

The Let Your Spirit Soar program is designed to showcase the strengths, talents, and skills of residents and staff in the area of lifelong learning and creativity. Several elements make it unique and innovative. In addition to the resident and staff recognition, the program supports a nonprofit, builds relationships with individuals and institutions from the broader community, provides a powerful promotional tool, and communicates to others the vibrancy of today’s older adults. Tangible outcomes include:

• Note cards featuring resident art submissions in all media forms (e.g., paintings, carvings, needlework, and pottery). Sales of the note cards benefit the nonprofit Touchmark Foundation.
• A 2007 calendar featuring photographs of residents and staff engaged in specific areas of the Life Enrichment/Wellness program at all Touchmark locations was produced.
• Each community’s newsletter runs a resident submission of poetry/prose/ photos/recipe that complement the monthly Life Enrichment/Wellness theme.
• Many of the contributions—both written and art—are featured on the Touchmark Web site to publicly recognize the talents of Touchmark residents.