Welcome to the Elders Drum Project

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“We all have a rhythm...
which comes from our beating heart.
Just like our beating heart keeps us alive, our rhythm connects us to the world around us. Through a process that began with introducing drumming to nursing home residents, the benefits and rewards of drumming have become most pronounced as the Elders have been pulled back into the world around them through their own rhythm.”

Victoria Rose Tripp,
article from the "Hudson River Sampler"

MISSION STATEMENT:
The Elders Drum Project, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life
for everyone in all stages of life through the Arts and Community Interaction.

The project started in 1998 as a therapeutic music and arts program in the Occupational Therapy Department of an upstate NY nursing home. Introduced by Marci Berman O.T.R./L and Randi Carlson C.O.T.A., together with musician, Fre Atlast, they developed a program that combines drumming, music, art, performance, and, community interaction to radically improve the quality of life of nursing home residents.

The Elders Drum Project has had a profound impact on long term care residents, their families, the facility staff, students and the larger community. Through our work with the Elders we have learned a great deal about the needs of our aging community. Through their wisdom we have developed a vision for a new approach to elder care as it relates to the arts and to community interaction.

After years of researching and looking at properties to develop a quality alternative community for elders and friends, we have finally found a home in the town of Rosendale NY. We decided that it was far more effective to integrate into an already established community rather than use our resources to reinvent the wheel. The town has welcomed us with very enthusiastic support.

2008 has been a very active year for us. In June we received a grant from the Dutchess Arts Council to produce a free community interactive performance with IABAS Brazilian Band at Willow Kiln Park in Rosendale. In July we opened our new center, “The Drum Depot”, at 413 Main Street, Rosendale. Our location at the former bus depot offers drum classes/circles for all ages, office/meeting space, and, a gift shop that sells drums and percussion, CD’s by local artists, gemstones, cards, and more. In partnership with the town of Rosendale we are preparing for a one day community drum festival on October 10th, 2009. Click HERE for schedule.

For more information about Rosendale click here.

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