An Indian American high school student has taken up an initiative to form a non-profit organisation with her friends to help the seniors in isolation to find better ways to socialize and even enjoy developing new skills.
The organisation, ‘Lifting Hearts with the Arts’ was started by Maya Joshi in Chicagoland around two months ago. The primary mission of the organisation is “to help uplift spirits through music, art, games or even simple conversation.”
“In youth, art helps foster creative thinking, boosts self-esteem and establishes a sense of accomplishment. In adult populations, art can prevent cognitive decline by improving memory, reasoning and resilience,” the website of the organisation says.
Regardless of an individual’s age, art provides with a solace and help calm down the active minds of the people. It also helps improve the introspective adventures in our minds.
The organisation has local assisted living facilities participating in their initiatives but their aim is to expand nationally.
The organisers and Joshi herself believe that with the majority of the schools now entering their summer vacation break, now is the best time to encourage the students above 8th grade to come and volunteer for this non-profit organisation. They help not just the senior citizens but the blind and visually impaired people have a little recluse during such stressful times.
The organisation has even started a Go Fund Me page to help them buy more iPads so that they can deliver the same to more senior homes because the accessibility currently is 1 iPad for every 200 seniors.
Lifting Hearts with the Art also provides with one on one and group activities for the seniors.
The organiser of the organisation, Maya Joshi is a freshman at Walter Payton College Prep.
“I have a passion for the visual arts that has stemmed from my early childhood. Some of my favorite memories come from learning to paint and weave with my grandparents,” she said.
When highlighting some of the skills that she has learned over time, she highlighted finger printing and weaving with a loom.
Her main goal is to create more art with more people who would cherish these moments and smile along the way.
By June 14, 2020, the organisation had hosted around 6 virtual bingo sessions with the elderly along with several other game sessions too. They are also offering virtual painting lessons too. With their funding, they have also been able to raise enough to donate art supplies and devices to three different facilities around Chicago.
Their achievements have already been covered by some of the news outlets including CBSLocal and WGN RAdio 720.
