The senior residents I work with experience such joy from being creative. It can make all the difference in the life of a loved one who’s been progressively in decline living with dementia. In fact, I’ve witnessed first hand how art can inspire seniors with limited speech. By simply using a paintbrush for communication, creating art can lessen aggressive behavior and anxiety. Creating art can be a personal healing journey for some. For others living with dementia, participating in arts and craft activities can be very healing.
The best part of these magical moments, it offers a chance for seniors to connect socially engaging in stimulating conversation. When seniors are engaged in conversation and socializing it lowers the impact of feeling isolated providing a better quality of life experience.
Some benefits from participating in arts, crafts and music programs:
stress relief
inspires memories
increase mood
stimulates creative thinking
helps focus
improves self-esteem
I’ve seen first hand how seniors with advanced dementia simply look at a piece of art and you see how they are filled with love, joy, and empathy. Research continues to prove that making all forms of art has huge potential to improve mental health.
I’m so proud of the seniors I work with everyday who come to experience our programs. In our home we definitely aim to make people's lives better. And we do this successfully by providing a happier, healthier and more fulfilling life experiences for our residents. And what better way then through the world of creative expressive arts.