Susan Perlstein has spent decades promoting “creative aging,” which encourages people to find meaning and purpose in their lives through art during the course of their entire lives.

She is the founder and executive director of the National Center for Creative Aging and Elders Share The Arts.

She is also an educator, social worker, administrator and an artist who has written extensively on creativity and late-life learning.

She talked to Growing Bolder about her programs, which have educated thousands of artists, educators and health care and social service professionals.