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Starting in June:
Neuberger Museum will offer Alzheimer’s program
Apr 22, 2008
by CAROLYN MANDELKER
for The Neuberger Museum
About two years ago, Marj Simon, a longtime docent at the Neuberger Museum of Art | Purchase College, noticed in a newspaper item that MoMA had created a program for individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. “I thought, whatever MoMA can do, we can do, too. We have the collection, we have the docents, so why not?” She didn’t have to look far to find someone to benefit from such a program. All she needed to do was to set in motion a collaboration between the Neuberger Museum and the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Her efforts bore fruit, for beginning on June 12th the Neuberger Museum of Art will inaugurate
Neu Experiences in Art, a free, interactive program at the Museum for individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and their family members or caregivers. This program is the first of its kind in Westchester County. “As a teaching museum and a cultural and artistic center of community engagement, the Neuberger Museum of Art is committed to enriching the lives of everyone in the community,” notes Thom Collins, Director of the Neuberger Museum of Art.
Adds Alice Feintuch, LMSW, Care Consultant with the Alzheimer’s Association Hudson Valley/Rockland/Westchester, NY Chapter which is partnering with the Neuberger Museum, “The goal of the program is to provide a positive emotional experience for people with Alzheimer’s Disease through exposure to great works of art. Research has shown that people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia who have difficulty communicating their feelings are stimulated by viewing the art and may find a new avenue of expression. The art experience then becomes a connection with the outside world.”
Museum docents, who have been specially trained by the Alzheimer’s Association, will conduct tours for groups of up to 35 early- and mid-stage individuals and their caregivers. The subject of the tours will be
Reframing American Art: Selections from the Roy R. Neuberger Collection, the Museum’s permanent exhibition of modern art.
The program is free of charge; reservations are required. For further information, please call Marj Simon at 914-937-1530 (marjsimon@gmail.com) or the Museum at 914-251-6110.
Neu Experiences in Art is made possible by founding sponsors Lou and Marj Simon, Jim and Joan Anchin, Paul and Agnes Kossman, and the Alzheimer's Association Hudson Valley/Rockland/Westchester, NY Chapter.
The Alzheimer's Association is the world leader in Alzheimer’s research and support, providing programs and assistance to afflicted individuals and their families. For more information, call 1-800-872-0994 or visit alz.org/hudsonvalley.
With its rich resources and prominent place in the life of Purchase College, the Neuberger Museum of Art is uniquely positioned to function as a space in which new art and new interpretive strategies applied to its current collection are used to represent, critique, and weigh alternatives to important aspects of the dominant culture outside. The Museum recently inaugurated a new series in which exemplary younger artists from around the world are offered their first survey exhibitions and publications; and brilliantly refurbished some of its galleries to present its vastly expanded reinstallation of its African Art collection.
The Neuberger Museum of Art, Purchase College, State University of New York, engages and inspires diverse audiences by actively fostering the study, appreciation, understanding and enjoyment of modern art, African art, and the art of our time. The Museum is located at 735 Anderson Hill Road in Purchase, New York (Westchester). 914-251-6100
Museum Hours
Tuesday through Sunday, 12 noon to 5 pm
Closed Mondays and major holidays
Group tours by appointment only on Tuesdays through Fridays, 10 am to noon.
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