Building bridges across age and cognitive barriers through art.
Facilitator Training Available 100% Online
This fall, 61 people began the fully online OMA Facilitator Training. This new format, developed in response to COVID-19 restrictions, starts with 12-15 hours of self-paced online training, followed by 3 hours of “live” virtual art-making, and ends with virtual observations of individuals conducting OMA sessions at their own sites. We are able to maintain the same high quality of training as the hybrid and fully in-person formats. One trainee said, “I like the sequence. We were taught the information, participated in the art, and then enacted our own sessions, which I believe is the most holistic way to be trained.”
Encore.org's Gen2Gen Innovation Fellowship
Dr. Elizabeth "Like" Lokon has been selected as one of 15 Gen2Gen Innovation Fellows, a group of the nation's most talented innovators and entrepreneurs marshaling their best ideas to create and scale intergenerational solutions. During this fellowship, she will work on developing ScrippsAVID- an Arts-based, Virtual, Intergenerational and Dementia-friendly app.
Virtual OMA at Miami University
This Fall, OMA at Miami University went virtual. 69 undergraduate students and 33 elders, with and without dementia, met biweekly on Zoom to create and share art, stories, poems and music. The program was well received, as one elder participant wrote, “I found both in form and content, our much too brief time together was fascinating, surprisingly challenging, and very well presented.” We will continue this format during the Spring 2021 semester.
Introducing OMA's Graduate Assistants
Graduate assistants are an essential part of our operation. This year, we welcomed
Becca Cinfio and Sati Williams to the team.
Becca Cinfio (top) is a second year Master in Gerontological Studies (MGS) student. She graduated from Shawnee State University with an Independent Study degree focused on Art Therapy. She says, "I love being a part of OMA because I think the way that art touches all parts of the mind and can move people is a very unique and beautiful experience! I also like that I meet new people through OMA and interact with people of other generations; you really learn a lot in this program."

Sati Williams (bottom) is a first-year PhD student in Social Gerontology. She graduated from Cleveland State University with a personally designed major in "Humor and Healing," and her Master of Education in Adult Learning & Development. Along with many other accomplishments, Sati is the Founder and CEO of the International Institute of Humor and Healing Arts (HaHA Institute). The institute is the go-to resource network for educational programs, workshops, and seminars focused on the healing power of humor.
Featured Facilitator: Elizabeth Stanbro
Our Featured Facilitator this quarter is Elizabeth Stanbro. Elizabeth is an art educator and facilitates the OMA program at several communities in Colorado. In an interview with Changing the Narrative in Colorado, she explained the dramatic changes she noticed in the elders living with dementia that she worked with and how much we can learn from them. Elizabeth completed OMA Facilitator training in 2019 and is a Miami University alumna.
Art idea: Sing holiday tunes together
With the holidays around the corner, here is a great activity everyone can enjoy! Check out the Creative Caregiving Guide on our website to learn how to facilitate singing holiday songs together.
Connect With Us
Phone: (513)529-2914