Combating Senior Loneliness Through Design
Challenge
Older adults in the community felt barriers to attending cultural programs such as accessibility, feelings of isolation, and lack of social connection. The Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis wanted to better engage senior citizens not only as visitors, but as active participants in the community.
"How might we encourage more local seniors to engage with the museum?"
Methods
Visitor Attendance & Census Data Analysis – Analyzed museum visitor logs as well as census data to identify gaps in senior participation and understand the broader demographic context.
Community Interviews – Conducted 1:1 semi-structured interviews with local seniors and community members to uncover barriers to participation and motivations for cultural engagement.
Comparative Research – Studied engagement programs at peer institutions and nonprofits to benchmark best practices and identify models that could be adapted for the museum.
Stakeholder Workshop – Facilitated a design thinking brainstorming session with museum staff to co-create potential engagement strategies and facilitate organizational buy-in.
Insights
Most of museum attendees are younger individuals coming from outside the community. Of the museum’s 41,487 annual visitors, 86% were between 25–40, and 74% came from outside the local community. This revealed a significant gap in engagement with older adults in the local area.
Older adults are a rapidly growing population. According to U.S. Census data, people over 65 are the fastest-growing demographic due to factors such as increased life expectancy and declining birth rates.
Loneliness is a critical health issue. 35% of retired midlife and older adults reported feelings of isolation, highlighting how programs addressing engagement with the museum can also support overall well-being.
Perceptions of inaccessibility limit participation. Many local seniors felt unfamiliar with art and saw museum programs as “not for them,” but expressed genuine interest in learning about the subject and socializing with others.
Practical barriers matter. Transportation and mobility challenges were significant obstacles preventing attendance, reinforcing the need for accessible and inclusive design.
Engagement through social connection. Programs that combined education with opportunities for social connection were reported to be more successful in engaging older audiences.
Outcomes
The design thinking workshop I facilitated generated the following concept for a new senior-focused engagement program:
CAM Ambassadors — an educational initiative where older adults would engage with contemporary art, gain skills in art interpretation, and serve as ambassadors within their own communities.
To implement this concept, I:
Developed a program model that integrated art education, round-trip transportation to the museum, and structured opportunities for ongoing community engagement.
Consulted with experts and educators, incorporating best practices from professional development courses and insights from local art educators to refine curriculum design.
Assessed feasibility, gathering cost estimates, identifying staffing requirements, and determining operational expenses.
Compiled the program concept, my research, and insights in a comprehensive report for the museum’s executive leadership team and applied for external grant funding to support implementation.
This program repositions the museum from being solely an exhibition space to becoming an active pillar of the community. By addressing issues of accessibility and loneliness, it empowers older adults to participate not only as visitors, but as cultural representatives within their communities.
