The Aging Dialogues
Sharing Wisdom, Preserving our Legacies
How do you remember your past or shape your future?
The Aging Dialogues: Sharing Wisdom, Preserving Our Legacies focuses on human connections, and showcases diverse voices and creativity that spans generations; shared memories, relationships, and personal belongings will highlight the exhibition, as well as videos and photographs. Come explore and experience the topic of aging from a variety of viewpoints, all unique in their own way.
A dialogue series, featuring prominent speakers, film screenings and events ran alongside this exhibition.
Dialogues
‘Your Digital Legacy’ is a form of digital storytelling which focuses on capturing the narrative in a natural, candid way. Jocelyn’s approach allows for an unscripted and intimate dialogue to emerge on camera, which is then produced into a personalized feature film.
Wednesday March 30th, 2016: Film Screening: The 100 Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (2013)
Based on the internationally best-selling novel by Jonas Jonasson, the unlikely story of a 100-year-old man who decides it’s not too late to start over. For most people it would be the adventure of a lifetime, but Allan Karlsson’s unexpected journey is not his first. For a century he’s made the world uncertain, and now he is on the loose again. Director: Felix Herngren. Rating: 14A. Runtime: 114 minutes.
Wednesday April 6th, 2016: Film Screening: Wet Bum (2014)
It’s the start of the spring term in a small northern town, heralding swimming lessons, hanging out with best friends, new classes and new possibilities. But this year, things are different for 14-year-old Sam. While her friends are moving on, focusing on boys, experimenting with drugs, Sam is too uncomfortable to even take off her bathing suit in front of the other girls. After landing herself into trouble, she is forced to work as a cleaner at the retirement home run by her mother. Sam finds unexpected and unlikely friendships with two of the retirement home’s residents who end up teaching Sam a few things about growing up and growing old. Director: Lindsay Mackay. Rating: 14A. Runtime: 98 minutes.
Sunday April 10th, 2016: Intersecting Dialogues: Conversations, Contested Stories and the Crafting of a Narrative Self, presented by Professor Michael Ackerman – Wilfrid Laurier University
In the fall of 2015, the Wilfrid Laurier University English department and the Grand River Council on Aging initiated a pilot course on Life Writing that paired local seniors with students as they explored and documented aspects of their own life story. The projects and speakers featured here, highlight the dialogic aspect of how we produce and negotiate our “narrative selves.” Rather than simply “passing down” an official family history or experience…these are projects that talk back to history; that attempt to coax history to speak where there is familial silence; and that negotiate the gaps and fissures that exist between the “public” and “private” self.
Wednesday April 13th, 2016: CARP (formerly Canadian Association of Retired Persons) Waterloo Region – Chapter 25 Annual General Meeting
CARP is the national non-profit association advancing the needs and interests of Canadians as we age, standing for solidarity between generations to build a more inclusive, healthier civil society. CARP aims at social change to bring financial security, access to high quality health care and freedom from discrimination for all Canadians as we age, advocating for change in areas where gaps in law and policy make aging difficult. Our Waterloo Region Chapter represents 3000+ members. Our collective voice gives our advocacy efforts influence to get results with politicians and policy-makers.
Sunday April 17th, 2016: What Happens to Memories as We Age? – Presented by Dr. Myra Fernandes – Professor, Psychology, University of Waterloo
What are the brain changes that accompany aging, and how do these impact our ability to think, communicate and remember? Are they inevitable? Are there strategies to enhance memory? I will review evidence from cognitive studies, neuroimaging data, and studies of normal aging, that pinpoint critical processes, and brain regions, important for contextually-rich high-quality memories, or recollections, of the past.
Wednesday April 20th, 2016: Film Screening: The Revera and Reel Youth Age is More Film Project
The Revera and Reel Youth Age is More Film Project is an intergenerational partnership between Revera, a Canadian leader in seniors’ accommodation, care and services, and Reel Youth, a charitable project that empowers youth to create engaging films about important social issues. The partnership was launched in 2013. Join us at THEMUSEUM as we screen some of the films as means to celebrate older Canadians through story-telling and film.
Thursday April 21st, 2016 at 6:30pm: An Evening With Hazel McCallion, former Mayor of Mississauga and Revera’s first Chief Elder Officer – presented by Revera
Sunday April 24th, 2016: It’s About the People… Seniors’ Perspective on Age-Friendly Communities, presented by Dr. John Lewis – University of Waterloo & Arlene Groh – Chair of featuring Harmony Interactive Theatre Troupe & Bluevale Collegiate Institute Drama Students
The City of Waterloo is an age-friendly city, where people of all ages thrive and grow. This commitment to age friendliness was recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), which designated Waterloo among the Global Network of Age-friendly Cities in 2011. Through drama featuring, The Harmony Interactive Drama Troupe and the Bluevale Collegiate Institute drama students, and dialogue you will learn about older adults lived experiences of aging in Waterloo, their understanding of an age-friendly community, their experience of agesim and how Waterloo continues to build a city where people of all ages thrive and grow.
Wednesday April 27th, 2016: A Whisky Masterclass
Come join Andrew Campbell Walls WSET, Sales Manager and Brand Ambassador of Victoria Caledonian Distillery & Brewery for a night of whisky tasting. This event is being presented by THEMUSEUM and Companions of the Quaich – KWC Chapter.
Grandparent’s Thursdays:
Every Thursday is Grandparent’s Thursday, presented by Investors Group! Grandparents receive free admission when accompanying their grandchild(ren) to THEMUSEUM. Infants (ages 0-2) are FREE! Children (ages 3-13) are $8.95+HST. On the Thursday’s listed, THEMUSEUM will be hosting some additional programming for adults to engage in.
Thursday March 17th, 2016: It’s March Break at THEMUSEUM!
Grandparents’ bring your grandchild(ren) and receive free admission to THEMUSEUM for Grandparent’s Thursdays. On Thursday March 17th, we will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in partnership with the IRL Festival. The IRL Festival will be celebrating Irish culture with a programmed day at THEMUSEUM.
Thursday March 31st, 2016: OMA Session with Trinity Village: Participants from the Opening Minds through Art (OMA) Project from Trinity Village will be at THEMUSEUM on Thursday March 31st to create artwork inspired by THEMUSEUM’s Sol Lewitt.
The Aging Dialogues: Sharing Wisdom, Perserving Our Legacies was on display at THEMUSEUM from March, 5, 2016 until May 23, 2016.