Kelly Sisco - Podcasts

An excellent place to listen to a thousand different podcasts on any subject is - wwww.podbean.com


1.  My fist favorite podcast is under the Kids & Family Section.
It's a little silly but I can relate to it since I actually watch a lot of Disney Channel. This podcast is called - Disneybrit 
I love the way the speakers talk over the music about different Disney shows and explain them in a imaginative way that paints a visual picture and tells a story. The voices speaking are very animated and fun to listen to. The Disybrit is a little Goofy but the show comes across as a broadway type of show, in that style. The speakers talk fast so you need to listen and keep up because it's fast pasted. The podcast though, is good for me since I'm ADHD and the show is all over the place and goes back and forth talking about all different Disney relate subjects. It's a magical show for all ages and the show takes you on a sort of magic carpet ride as well. Felt like it was only 15 minutes long but was really about a half hour with no commercials. 


2.  Second favorite is  called - Showbiz Sandbox. I'm a big entertainment buff and these people are totally entertaining to listen to. The two people that host the show are Karen Woodward and Michael Glitz. They have humorous viewpoints and insightful analysis and insider opinions on the latest entertainment news headlines. These host have a style that puts you in a good mood. The hosts have a good connection and bounce off of each other very well. What they say is actually not just their opinions but pretty much true also. They pick good and fun topics to discuss. Felt like it was only 15 minutes long but really about a half hour with no commercials. 


3. I love and watch the show Glee and I found a Glee podcast called - Glee Cast. This podcast talks about the popular Glee television show from all different angles and you see and understand things that you did not notice or realize from just watching the show. The hosts have a lot to say and make what they say sound more important than it probably actually is. Had no commercials. 


Basically, the three podcasts I picked come from the entertainment categorize and that is what I am into. Hearing about, television shows, music, broadway, the arts, film, celebrities, and stuff along those lines. I will check out other podcast on other topics too at some point. Podcasts are excellent to listen to and I knew about them but never listened to one before. I just listened to the regular radio on a regular basics and the radio is similar but not the same thing by far. Podcasts get to the point of what you really want to hear and the radio usually does not. All these shows I listened to seemed short cause they were fast pasted but they actually were around a half hour or a little longer but again felt like 10-15 minutes long only so they kept you interested and you forgot about how long you were listening to them.  

My First Starting Ideas - Questions & Answers to My First Person

Draw Your Way to a Longer Life

Interview with My Grandma (Eleanor Sisco)

1.  Do you belong to any creative programs or class or do you just like to do creative things by yourself? List the creative activities you do by yourself or with others in a program or class.

Currently, my grandma is not taking any creative classes anywhere but she did take one class a few weeks ago and did not follow through with it because she has parkinson's disease and her ability to use her hands is hard. This is very sad for me to see since she was a great painter at one point. The lines in her drawings used to be exact and perfect and now since her hands shake she can not make them perfect like she wants. So my family has told her to create abstract painting but she has trouble even holding a brush. So for her the creative classes of painting and drawing are not good for her anymore. But, other classes like singing she would probably like since I sing with her and she lights up when she hears me. Right now my family is trying to get her involved in a program but she is resisting because she feels helpless but in the past she would say yes and attend if she did not feel as sick as she does. My family is trying to convince her that their might be a class that might actually make her feel better where she is making friends. She will be attending a class in the near future and she is trying to listen more to what her family is saying that very well could help her. I, as her only granddaughter just wants her to enjoy her life more. 

  

2.  What creative activities, program, or classes do you enjoy best? Do you think being creative has affected you and helped you to stay younger? If yes, explain why.

In the past, when my grandma painted she got such great joy out og doing it and I know that if she brings creative activities to her life she can feel better.(Her paintings were amazing and that is not just coming from her granddaughter.) My grandma just has to trust her family more and see that we maybe do know what's better for her. My grandma said yes that she did like doing creative activities and wishes she could be well enough to do them again. But, her family sees more strength in her than she actually sees in herself. I know that she needs to believe in herself now and I see her struggling and can do many things when she pushes herself. 

3.  Have you made any friends through the creative activities you enjoy and have you become friends with them because you share the same interest? What is the mutual bond connecting the two of you? Friends are important and could you talk about the time and how the two of you 
became friends?

My grandma is a very friendly, sweet lady that tries very hard in everything she does. But now, she feels that people are judging her and she does not want people to think bad of her or that she is incapable of doing normal everyday things. My grandma knows that she needs more interaction in her life to make her happy and she wants that interaction but she is having a hard time getting that when she stays home. When she is faced with people I see her brighten up and get excited so I know that will help her. We almost put my grandma in an Assistant Living Facility in Tuckahoe and if it was not for money she knows and her family knows too that she would be happier today getting to interact with different people. Everyone needs loving people in their lives. My grandma had a best girlfriend who she does not talk with much anymore since she is 10 years younger and wanted to keep active in her life and the fact that my grandma could not she pushed away. Proves my point but not always something you can change when you have a disease.  

4.  Is there a special place like a nursing home, senior center or activities group that you enjoy best? If yes, where is the place and what is the name of the center? If no, tell me what has made you not join one of those places or groups? If you answered no, tell me if you just like and enjoy being by yourself when doing your creative projects?


My grandma has been to the Wartburg Nursing Home in Mount Vernon, NY and has taken classes there. She actaully attended a class there and few weeks ago and played Bingo. Bingo is not a creative class but it did get her to interact with others, which is great for her also. Her home health aid took her and she stayed there the entire day. She liked the people and the place very much and would go back if she was felt better and more like herself. She has also attended classes at The Phelem Art Center in the past and her family is trying to get her to go back there as soon as she starts to feel a little better.

5.  If you as a senior citizen could set up and start your own class and get a group of people involved, would you? What type of creative activities would you be doing in this class? Would you enjoy teaching the class?


My grandma at this stage in her life would not but when she was younger and still a senior would have like to becuase my grandma used to be a very social women who did many things in her life. But right now, the answer for her would be no and just attending a class is hard for her now even though she has tried and will be trying to attend more classes in the future.

6.  Do you know anyone who does not do any type of creative activities but you think would benefit from doing creative activities and experiencing them and making them a part of their life? If yes, why do you feel creative activities would help that certain person


My grandma believes that before her hubsand (my grandfather) died this past August 2011 he would of enjoyed creative classes if he felt better himself. My grandfather and I, his granddaughter always sang songs together and he would get a big kick out of it. Whenever company would come to the house he would get all exited and my grandfather was a friendly man but for some reason he actaully did not enjoy some of the creative classes he attended as much as his family thought he would for the same reason my grandma did not. This is becuase both of them think very much alike and do not want others juding them in their older age. I kept telling him that many of the seniors that attend these class have problems and are just trying their best but my grandparents always did not like when people had to do things for them and they felt helpless. But I do know that when they see and are around people their state totally improves and becomes more happy.

7.  When in your life did you know that you were a creative and expressive person? Talk about your first creative experience in detail.


Doing creative activies for my grandma started when she was my parents age and she was in her 60's. She painted and sewed and would love to show everyone the work she created. A time for her when she really enjoyed her drawing and painting skills was when she was helping me, her granddaughtger, paint a sene of a little house in the snow with the sun just coming out. We were copying the photo from a painting book. She loved teaching me all she knew about how to copy what you see and re-create it. My grandma was a very good teacher and my painting came out excellent, thanks to her help. The lines in my drawing were perfect since my painting was not done or complete until they were she told me. Me and her fixed that painting for hours and it was a great bonding experience for us a well. Also, for us to remember that day and moment is special too.

8.   Are there any times when you cannot get your creative juices flowing and you have a block and cannot think of what to creative. Explain this feeling and what goes on in your head? What helps you to creative and think imaginatively?


There were many times when my grandma did not know or have a subject to darw or paint. She would look for things around her and in her environment that jumped out at her. She would also look to copy photos in a painting book and see if she could make her photo look just like the artist. Sometimes not having a place to start got my grandma nervous but she would ask someone what they might want painted to hang in their house and she would get ideas from others who knew my grandma's style of art. My family saw a photo of an old tennis sneaker in a painting book and my mom said that would be a cute painting to have hanging in our bathroom and my grandma at first said that photo is of nothing special and not of a beautiful sense but she put her own feeling aside and painted it anyway and it turned out great. My family was not shocked becuase we all knew my grandma had the talent but she was very shocked how realistic the sneaker looked and how good it actaully came. What you might think is not a good object or photo to draw or paint might turn out differently after you actaully paint it and you'll see that you really like what you created and that it was a good choice.

9.  Talk about a time when you shared your creative work with others and tell me about how others reacted to what you had shown them?


My grandma is a very humble person and does not ever think her paintings were much good. She always saw things she needed to improve. We are our own worst cricics. My grandma would pick things out of her painting that were wrong in her eyes but excellent in the eyes of everyone else. She enjoyed praise but did not think she deserved it.

10.  If you as a senior citizen were forced into having to do a creative activity because someone told you that it would improve your quality of life and after getting involved with something creative, are you glad and do you see a change in your life. If yes, what kind of chance do you see?


This is the best question for my grandma because she feels now in her life that my dad (her son) and I are forcing her to get involved in things and we are but only for her own good becuse we know how much she had enjoyed them when she was younger. She knows that if she pushed herself she would be able to do more but she at the moment is resisiting and holding back and wainting people to feel sorry for her and my grandma was never like that. She always was an independent women where now she needs help.


Throughout all of my research so far, I have found out that even though creative class and being among people does help in a very positive way many senior citizens just cannot do them or be a part of them becuause they are just sick and not well enough. That is a hard fact to see and realize for their loved ones who are just trying to help and bring joy/happiness to their lives. My grandma sees that what we are doing is coming from a place of love but she has been acting not like herself for the past few weeks and she does not know what she wants and what will make her feel better, stronger, and happier. But, in time when my family gets a new home health aid taking care of her we hope to see the old women we miss and maybe than taking a creative class and making friends will be fun, instead of a big hassle.

INTERVIEWING PLAN

Kelly Sisco

Multimedia Journalism

Monday & Thursday 12:30-1:45

Draw Your Way to a Longer Life

Interview People & Questions

Creative Aging

List of People I will be Interviewing -

Ruth Handel – Manager of the group called the Poetry Caravan. This group reads poetry and short stores to people in nursing homes and senior centers in hopes to brighten up their day.

RuthHandel@verizon.net

Home Address – 3 Gilmore Court, Scarsdale NY 10583

Home Number – 914.472.0870

I will call Ruth and hopefully get to met with her in person and have a face to face interview but if she is not available I will ask her theses questions over the phone and try to record them to play back and have on record. If we met in person I hope Ruth will let me video tape her. Having the interview video taped would be the best way to get the best results and be able to play back and see all her facial and emotional expressions.

In Person Video/Audio Interview

Sarah Bracey White – Director of Arts and culture of the Town of Greenburg.

Sarahbracey.white@gmail.com

Arts & Culture committee Number -914.422.1038

Sarah’s Business Number – 914.682.1574

I will call Sarah and hopefully get to met with her in person and have a face to face interview but if she is not available I will ask her theses questions over the phone and try to record them to play back and have on record. If we met in person I hope Sarah will let me video tape her. Having the interview video taped would be the best way to get the best results and be able to play back and see all her facial and emotional expressions.

In Person Video/Audio Interview

Karen Brinn – Friend of the family and was the Executive Director of the Westchester Center for Creative Aging and worked with Senior Citizens for 25 years. Kbrinn@aol.com

Home Address – 1100 Warburton Ave, Apt. 4G, Yonkers 10701

Cell Number – 914.720.6969

Karen has much experience dealing with senior citizens and I will call Karen and I know she would love to meet with me in person to have a face-to-face interview. I already told her I picked this topic for my class project and she was thrilled for me knowing it was a great topic and she was grateful too that she could tell me all she knows in this area. When we met in person I will get Karen to let me video tape her because we have a good relationship. Having the interview video taped would be the best way to get the best results and be able to play back and see all her facial and emotional expressions.

In Person Video/Audio Interview

Mary Arefieg –  Coordinator at The Fountains at Rivervue (Assisted Living Facility) Phone Number – 914.768.6000

Address – 1 Rivervue Place, Tuckahoe, NY 10707

I will go to the Foundations and get a face-to-face interview with Mary. I’m not sure if she will let me video tape her but I will at the least record her voice so I can play the answers back and have them on record. In Person Audio Interview

Lynne Cohen - Recreational Coordinator of the Osborn (Nursing home and Assisted Living facility)

icohen@theobsorn.org

101 Theall Road, Rye NY

914.925.8000 X 8259 or 925-8259

If Lynn is not there, then contact List Hoxie at: 914.925-8200

I hope to meet Lynne in person at the Osborn and get an in person interview and since, I do not know her well I will get a tape recoding of our interview to play back afterwards and have on record.

In Person Audio Interview 

Following 10 Questions – To be asked & answered by the people listed above

1.  What made you want to work with senior citizens, get involved with them and help them with the quality of their lives?

2.  What activities, programs, or classes have you found that senior citizens like and respond to the best? Also what activities, programs, or classes have you seen them grow the most from after attending?

3.  Are these activities, programs, or class only offered at your facility or do you know if most senior communities offer them?

4.  Can you explain in depth a change you noticed in a certain senior citizen after they attended one of these activities, programs, or classes? Explain how that senior citizen was affected and if that change was positive or negative?

5.  Do you feel that creative programs help senior citizens and help them to live a healthier longer life? If yes, explain why this might be so.

6.  Would you encourage your loved one (who is a senior citizen) to join any of these creative programs knowing what you know about these types of programs? Do creative programs really make a difference in their lives?

7.  As a teacher of these creative programs have you felt that your work has been rewarding and you have gotten pleasure out of helping senior citizens? Talk about an especially rewarding time for you, if there was one.

8.  Describe a time when a senior citizen has given you a hard time and did not want to cooperate with you? I am asking you this because some senior citizens I have found can be somewhat difficult to get to do things and are not willing to do things on their own unless you push them.

9.  Did you find that when after you encouraged a senior citizen and got them to be creative even if they do not want to, you found out that they really did love it after all and were glad that someone encouraged them? I’m asking because some senior citizens do not have a passion to do things at their age and have given up on life. As a result if you feel this is true, than do you feel that having a creative outlet in your life keeps your mind sharp and your body young. If yes, how so?

10.   Has their been any moments when with a senior citizen that have been emotional in a happy or sad way? Explain this memory and talk about how it affected you who knows the senior citizen? Also talk about if you saw a change in the senior citizen and if that change has helped them in other aspects of their lives?

Speaking to a Senior Citizen Directly –

Nathaniel Goldberg – Friend of the family who is involved in many creative activities, both by himself and in classes. I know that for him being creative and doing these activities has had a positive affect on his life.  Home Address – 41 Point Street, Apt. 2C Yonkers, NY 10701

Home Number – 914.736.5542 Cell Number – 1-845.222.0019

I will call him on the phone and pick a time that me and him could meet in person to do the interview or at worst I could ask him these questions over the phone and somehow record the answers to a tape so I can play them back and have what he said on record. If we met him person I hope Nathaniel will let me video tape him. Having the interview video taped would be the best way to get the best results and be able to play back and see all his facial and emotional expressions.

In Person Video/Audio Interview

I also want to talk to senior citizens who I do not know at a nursing home or senior community/center after I go there and speak to one of the directors I hope to find a senior citizen who is willing to talk with me and be interviewed. Talk both to a senior citizen who participates in creative activities and one who does not currently but might want to or who do creative activities but on their own and not among others in a group setting.

1.  Do you belong to any creative programs or class or do you just like to do creative things by yourself? List the creative activities you do by yourself or with others in a program or class.

2.  What creative activities, program, or classes do you enjoy best? Do you think being creative has affected you and helped you to stay younger? If yes, explain why.

3.  Have you made any friends through the creative activities you enjoy and have you become friends with them because you share the same interest? What is the mutual bond connecting the two of you? Friends are important and could you talk about the time and how the two of you became friends?

4.  Is there a special place like a nursing home, senior center or activities group that you enjoy best? If yes, where is the place and what is the name of the center? If no, tell me what has made you not join one of those places or groups? If you answered no, tell me if you just like and enjoy being by yourself when doing your creative projects?

5.  If you as a senior citizen could set up and start your own class and get a group of people involved, would you? What type of creative activities would you be doing in this class? Would you enjoy teaching the class?

6.  Do you know anyone who does not do any type of creative activities but you think would benefit from doing creative activities and experiencing them and making them a part of their life? If yes, why do you feel creative activities would help that certain person

7.  When in your life did you know that you were a creative and expressive person? Talk about your first creative experience in detail.

8.   Are there any times when you cannot get your creative juices flowing and you have a block and cannot think of what to creative. Explain this feeling and what goes on in your head? What helps you to creative and think imaginatively?

9.  Talk about a time when you shared your creative work with others and tell me about how others reacted to what you had shown them?

10.  If you as a senior citizen were forced into having to do a creative activity because someone told you that it would improve your quality of life and after getting involved with something creative, are you glad and do you see a change in your life. If yes, what kind of chance do you see?