“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~ Pablo Picasso

We’re deep in winter, and all craving the warmth and colors of summer.  While we can’t bring on the warmer weather faster, art therapy does a great job in providing the colors and fun.  Art therapy benefits every human being on this planet, but more so to our ageing seniors.

What is art therapy?

“Art therapy is a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages.”

(American Art Therapy Association, 2012, Online)

Any and every form of art is utilized in the pursuit of improving mental and emotional health in people.  Particularly in seniors, who experience mobility, cognitive, and mood issues, art therapy can greatly benefit and uplift our seniors’ spirits.

Art forms that can be used in therapy are:

• Painting
• Drawing + sketching
• Sculpting
• Writing
• Music
• Dance
• Knitting
• Weaving

Even gardening is an art form – and indoor gardening is a great option for home-bound seniors!

 3 Ways Art Therapy Uplifts Seniors

Improves memory

Art therapy for seniors with dementia is beneficial because creating art jolts a senior to remember certain memories that bring about positive emotions.  Music and art can reach deep into places that even medication can’t reach as in the case of our elderly with Alzheimer’s.  Art also encourages the development of new brain cells because of the new stimulation of creation.  

Gives a sense of achievement 

Part of the depression that seniors sometimes experience stems from feelings of uselessness and lack of independence and purpose.  Just from the act of creating a piece of art, a senior can experience a sense of achievement.  Finishing a work of art that can be proudly displayed provides a sense of pride in the work and uplifts mood.  

 Reduces stress

It can be very stressful knowing that your own memory is starting to fail.  Stress and depression can make cognition even worse.  Art therapy benefits for seniors include stress reduction because art provides an outlet for frustration and anxiety and at the same time, helps with memory (see point 1).  Especially in the case of non-verbal elders, art can help pinpoint their specific feelings and express them.  The calming effects of painting or writing benefits everyone, not just our older adults, in achieving inner peace and unlocking passion and possibly talent!

Uplift Your Senior!

Art therapy is truly a wonderful, innovative new way to help improve and uplift the lives of our seniors.  Reducing stress, increasing memory and providing a sense of accomplishment are all wonderful benefits of art therapy, not just for the older adults, but for all ages.  Including art therapy in eldercare will be a smart and beneficial move for the entire family.

3 Easy Ways to Introduce Art Therapy Into a Seniors’ Life

Paint by Numbers Kit – this is a fun project that involves no learning – seniors will not learn how to paint – they will just paint!

Coloring Books for Adults – if painting is too messy, coloring books for adults is a great choice too! You can use markers, crayons or pencil crayons for this.  If adult coloring books contain images that are too fine and difficult to see, standard coloring books for children will work as well, as long as the images are large with lots of space for seniors to color, and it’s age appropriate.

Flower Arrangement  – enjoying the variety of colors and shapes of flowers does the mind a lot of good!  Collect a lot of fake flowers, get a few pretty plastic vases, and a florist foam (optional, but a great one!), and have your senior create some lovely bouquet of flowers for their space.