Friesen Conference 2025

Mohammed, A., Olewiler, N., Pilarcyzk, J., Mahmood, A., & Pauly, T. (Submitted, 2025). Promoting Heat Resilience among Older Adults through Group-Based Arts: COPE - Drama Poster presentation. 2025 Friesen Conference, Jun. 5-6, 2025. Vancouver, BC, Canada. /grc/events/friesen/2025.html

Title

Promoting Heat Resilience among Older Adults through Group-Based Arts: COPE - Drama

Abstract

Purpose: Globally, rising temperatures due to climate change pose a significant threat to health and wellbeing^1-2. Northern countries such as Canada are warming more rapidly in comparison to the global average³.With increasing extreme heat events, older adults face higher risks of heat-related illnesses and climate anxiety, often exacerbated by a loss of control over rapid environmental changes^4-5. Expressive arts therapy has been shown to promote emotional processing, stress reduction, and community connection鈥攆actors that are particularly relevant for older adults experiencing ramifications of climate change^6-8. This project develops and evaluates a participatory art intervention to (1) educate older adults on climate risks and (2) enhance their heat resilience and self-efficacy.

Methods: Over 10 weeks (April鈥揓uly 2026), older adults will attend twice-weekly 2-hour arts workshop sessions, featuring educational climate-related material, field trips, drama activities, visual arts, and craft making. Sessions will culminate in a one-hour dramatic production, which will be presented at various locations across the Metro Vancouver area to raise awareness about the impact of climate change on the mental and physical health of older adults. We will employ a qualitative approach to evaluate the program鈥檚 effectiveness. This includes conducting semi-structured interviews at the beginning and end of the program to assess changes in levels of heat resilience, climate anxiety, and self-efficacy as well as to gain feedback on workshop processes and the dramatic production. Additionally, participants will use Photovoice techniques to visually capture their day-to-day experiences of heat.

Impact: Ultimately, this research seeks to provide evidence-based recommendations to policy makers and other key personnel for developing an accessible and effective therapeutic arts program that empowers older adults to proactively manage heat risks and maintain their wellbeing in a changing climate.

Keywords: heat stress, arts intervention, resilience

Process of art based workshop

References:

Hosseini MM, Zargoush M, Ghazalbash S. Climate crisis risks to elderly health: strategies for effective promotion and response. Health Promotion International. 2024;39(2). doi:10.1093/heapro/daae031
Vicedo-Cabrera AM, De Schrijver E, Schumacher DL, Ragettli MS, Fischer EM, Seneviratne SI. The footprint of human-induced climate change on heat-related deaths in the summer of 2022 in Switzerland. Environmental Research Letters. 2023;18(7):074037. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ace0d0
Canada鈥檚 changing climate report. https://changingclimate.ca/CCCR2019/
Hansen A, Bi P, Nitschke M, Pisaniello D, Newbury J, Kitson A. Perceptions of Heat-Susceptibility in Older persons: Barriers to adaptation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2011;8(12):4714-4728. doi:10.3390/ijerph8124714
Michalowski VI, Lay JC, Tse DCK, Fung HH, Pauly T. (under review). Coping with heat in older age: A synthesis of health behavior change and coping models. In: Pillemer K & Ayalon L, eds. Handbook on Aging and Climate Change. Policy Press. Canada E and CC. Canada鈥檚 climate is warming twice as fast as global average.
Perkins R, Mason-Bertrand A, Tymoszuk U, Spiro N, Gee K, Williamon A. Arts engagement supports social connectedness in adulthood: findings from the HEartS Survey. BMC Public Health. 2021;21(1). doi:10.1186/s12889-021-11233-6
Arriaga P, Sim玫es MP, Marques S, et al. From art to insight: The role of a creative arts therapies group workshop on college students鈥� well-being, self-awareness, and loneliness. The Arts in Psychotherapy. 2024;90:102188. doi:10.1016/j.aip.2024.102188
Gallagher L, Shella T, Bates D, Briskin I, Jukic M, Bethoux F. Utilizing the arts to improve health, resilience, and well-being (HeRe We Arts庐): a randomized controlled trial in community-dwelling individuals with chronic medical conditions. Frontiers in Public Health. 2024;12. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1242798

大象传媒

A Comprehensive Approach to Enhance Older Adults鈥� Preparedness for Extreme Heat (COPE)