Poetic Voices responds to a problem facing senior citizens in California, who report more prevalent mental distress and more frequent cases of depression than in most other states. Senior citizens often lack social interaction and ongoing mental stimulation. Due to their limited resources for addressing these issues, rehabilitation facilities and assisted living centers must prioritize providing basic healthcare, such as medication management, over enrichment programs that would otherwise serve the mental health and emotional wellbeing of seniors.
In order to address this problem, Poetic Voices offers workshops and collaborative experiences in reading, writing, and performing poetry to senior residents. Poetic Voices believes that creative expression fosters social interaction, supports mental health, and offers seniors a valuable source of healing and inspiration.