Feb. 2023 – Reflections during the Life Course

On 2/2/2023, our team was excited to take part in a symposium titled “Reflections during the life course” at the phototherapy department in Musrara, Jerusalem. We were greeted with a warm welcome and intimate tour of Musrara, learning about its history and development. We went on to present new studies implementing phototherapy techniques with older adults. 

Shirly Goffer, the head of the phototherapy department and host of the evening, opened the symposium by introducing the research evaluation program at Musrara. 

Dr. Shoshi Keisari continued with a lecture on arts-based interventions as a space for continued development in old age. 

Talia Elkarif, our doctoral student presented an arts based intervention of digital photo collage with older adults in Israel and Italy. Michal Fattal, a photographer and Musrara alumnus, shared her collection and choice of projective photographs used in this research project. 

Next, Silvia Piol, our doctoral student presented her progressing study on phototherapy and life review with older women in Italy. 

Michal Netzer Cohen, an arts and photo therapist, presented a case study on a photo-therapeutic group intervention at a local nursing home, a project implemented by the department of photo-therapy at Musrara. 

Finally, Rama Shefi presented her progressing thesis on phototherapy in old age from the perspectives of photo-therapists. 

We would like to thank Shirly Goffer who together with Dr. Shoshi keisari organized this wonderful symposium with great assistance from Hila Ben Hamu. We thank Nurit Rauchbach, who assisted with the connections that helped make this evening possible, Dana Shahar and Sabina Romanova for the wonderful tour of Musrara, our fellow presenters and all those who joined this important symposium