Creativity and Community to Improve the Brain Health of Elders in Okere
- Okere City
- Jul 20
- 6 min read
Updated: Aug 6
In the first week of July 2026, a team of artists, researchers, psychotherapists, and brain health activists had the privilege of spending six unforgettable days alongside the senior citizens of Okere. Together, we immersed ourselves in a journey of creativity, memory, and human connection that reminded us of all of one simple truth: creativity has no age.
From the very first dance to the final storytelling circle, the elders did not just open their lips to say words imbued with ancestral and traditional wisdom, but they also opened their hearts with love and comfort. They shared their wisdom, memories, songs, humor, resilience, and creativity with remarkable generosity. Every conversation became a lesson, every smile a gift, and every story another thread in the rich history our village.
The Elders Creative Circle which is part of our wider Atat (grandmother) program was established to explore how creative engagement can support healthy ageing, strengthen community connections, preserve indigenous knowledge, and promote brain health. Yet as the week unfolded, it became evident that this was not simply a project about research or creative activities—it became a celebration of communion and culture in Okere.
Beginning each afternoon with movement and the mind
Each day had a joyful dance icebreakers sessions led by community dance groups and the elders themselves. Laughter quickly filled the gathering spaces as participants stretched, danced, and moved together, proving that movement is one of the simplest expressions of joy and wellbeing.
These sessions flowed naturally into engaging “Brain Bites” facilitated by Dr. Annie Pink, who introduced practical conversations on healthy ageing and brain health. Participants explored how creativity, physical activity, emotional wellbeing, social connection, healthy eating, and lifelong learning all contribute to maintaining a healthy brain throughout life. While Dr. Annie encouraged the elders in the village to sing and dance together because it improves their brain health, she also warned them against habits that destroy our brain health like drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes.
The Alzheimer's Association's Ten Healthy Habits for Brain Health became an important part of these discussions, offering practical knowledge that participants could immediately relate to their everyday lives. One message resonated deeply throughout the week: a creative brain is a healthy brain.
Stories that connect generations
One of the most powerful experiences was the poetry and oral traditions workshop. Under the guidance of local storytellers and creative facilitators, elders revisited childhood memories, traditional songs, proverbs, folktales, and life experiences that have shaped generations in Okere.
The workshops became spaces where memory came alive. Stories that had existed only in people's hearts were spoken aloud, recorded, celebrated, and passed on to younger generations.
Participants reflected on why stories matter—not only because they entertain, but because they preserve identity, values, culture, resilience, and belonging. Listening to these conversations, many of us realized that every elder carries an entire library within them.
Painting collective memory
The Community Mural Workshop transformed memories into visual art. Artists, elders, and community members worked side by side to imagine a permanent public mural that will celebrate the history, identity, and aspirations of Okere City. Together we mapped the location of the mural and discussed important community symbols, stories and ideas that will fused into the mural to bring it to full life. The mural will eventually become far more than artwork on a wall—it will serve as a lasting visual archive of community memory, ancestral wisdom, current realities as well progressive future imaginations.
Elders as philanthropists
Throughout the week, dance energizers, communal meals, fireside conversations, storytelling circles, poetry workshops, mural planning sessions, and informal chats created countless opportunities for us to reimagine elders as givers. One particularly memorable event was the Atat Wisdom Circle with Jackie Asiimwe, the CEO of Civsource Africa. One-by-one, each elder shared their wisdom, local proverbs, and perspectives on giving and community engagement. One elder said she was a traditional birth attendant and throughout her practice, she helped to safely deliver 550 babies. Another shared the traditional Lango wisdom sayings: nying aber kato lonyo which means a good name is better than material wealth. Lonyo nyali, ento kit aber perakino - meaning material wealth is filled with rust, but kindness thrives forever. The reflections reminded us that - tio kelo ryeko - with age comes wisdom.
Learning from everyday life
The programme extended beyond the workshop venue into everyday community life.
During the Saturday market, the team explored how the local market functions, interacted with traders, and observed the important roles older adults continue to play within the community economy.
These experiences deepened everyone's appreciation of the rich social fabric that continues to sustain rural communities.
Reflections from the Journey
This journey reaffirmed something that sits at the heart of Okere City's vision: that every person, regardless of age, remains a vital builder of our community. Our elders are not simply beneficiaries of programs—they are custodians of memory, culture, wisdom, and identity.
Over the course of the week, we witnessed how creativity became a bridge between generations, reconnecting people with their stories, their neighbours, and themselves. Every conversation beneath a tree, every song, every dance, every poem, every painting, and every shared laugh strengthened the social fabric that makes communities resilient.
For us, this experience reinforced that rural development is not only about infrastructure, livelihoods, or technology. It is equally about nurturing belonging, preserving heritage, and creating spaces where every person can continue to contribute meaningfully. Healthy communities are built when people are seen, heard, valued, and given opportunities to create together.
The elders reminded us that creativity has no age, that a healthy mind thrives through connection and purpose, and that every life carries knowledge worth passing on. Their resilience, generosity, and willingness to share their experiences continue to shape our understanding of what a flourishing community looks like.
As Okere City, we leave this phase of the journey with renewed conviction that investing in our elders is an investment in our collective future. Their stories are our history, their wisdom is our guide, and their continued participation is essential to building the inclusive, vibrant, and intergenerational community we envision.
We are deeply grateful to our elders for welcoming this initiative with open hearts and look forward to returning as the next chapter of the Elders Creative Circle unfolds.
Looking ahead
By the end of the six-day engagement, the programme had:
Conducted the planned research interviews and community assessments.
Increased awareness of brain health and healthy ageing among more than 60 older adults.
Created opportunities for elders to express themselves through storytelling, poetry, dance, visual art, and conversation.
Preserved valuable indigenous knowledge, memories, songs, and traditions.
Reduced social isolation by strengthening friendships and community participation.
Demonstrated how creative arts promote cognitive stimulation, emotional wellbeing, and healthy ageing.
Established the foundation for a sustainable Elders Creative Circle in Okere City.
Identified local community members who will help lead future activities and preparations for the next community gathering.
A Beginning, Not an Ending
The Elders Creative Circle, implemented as part of the Pilot Awards for Global Brain Health Leaders with support from the Alzheimer's Association, the Alzheimer's Society, and the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), marks an important milestone in Okere City's journey toward building a community where every generation is valued and has the opportunity to thrive.
For us, this initiative affirms that healthy ageing is not achieved through healthcare alone. It is nurtured through meaningful relationships, creative expression, cultural identity, lifelong learning, and active participation in community life. By creating spaces where elders can share their stories, talents, and wisdom, we are strengthening the social bonds that make our community more resilient, compassionate, and inclusive.
As this first chapter comes to a close, we do so with deep gratitude to the elders of Okere. Thank you for trusting us with your stories, welcoming us into your lives, and reminding us that ageing is not a season of decline but a season rich with experience, creativity, leadership, and purpose.
Inspired by this journey, Okere City is taking the next step by establishing Ot Atat (Grandmothers' House)—a permanent community space dedicated to creativity, memory, and connection. Ot Atat will be a welcoming home where grandmothers and other elders can gather regularly to paint, draw, write, weave, color, craft, and tell stories. The space will be equipped with paints, brushes, pencils, pens, paper, canvases, and other creative materials, offering opportunities for artistic expression while fostering conversation, friendship, laughter, and lifelong learning. More than a creative studio, Ot Atat will be a living community archive where memories are shared, traditions are preserved, intergenerational learning is encouraged, and healthy ageing is celebrated every day.
This is not the conclusion of a project. It is the foundation of a long-term commitment to ensuring that our elders remain at the heart of community life. Their memories preserve our history, their wisdom guides our present, and their continued participation shapes the future we are building together.
As Okere City continues to grow as a model of rural innovation and community-led development, we remain committed to creating a place where people of every age can learn, contribute, create, and belong. The Elders Creative Circle is the beginning of a movement—one that recognizes creativity as a pathway to brain health, dignity, and social connection. Through initiatives like Ot Atat, we envision a future where no elder grows old in isolation, no story is lost, and every generation has a meaningful role in shaping the future of Okere.
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