ABSTRACT
Mutual involvement in the creative process seems to bring very special contact and pleasure, especially to those who have lost the ability to communicate as easily with words. The ability to network stems from an awareness of community that encourages an individual to look beyond their immediate doorstep to find other allies and supporters and to collaborate for mutual advantage. National Association for Providers of Activities is responsible for managing the project, but the partners advise and monitor developments through participation in an advisory group. The Growing with Age project is an example of a number of exciting developments in the sector, in which care professionals are learning to forge alliances in other fields, so that older people can continue to feel involved, included and valued in the wider world. The Growing with Age project is an example of a collaborative venture, since representatives from a range of large and small organisations conceived it as an idea.
