Posts Tagged ‘art therapy for older people’

Art therapy offers a lot of great opportunities for self-expression and working through your emotions. Besides, who does not like playing with colors and a blank canvas? There are few things more relaxing, but art therapy offers some distinct benefits for older Americans, so we will go over some of them now.

1)   Stress Reduction

Playing with colors and a blank canvas is a very soothing activity. You do not need to be the next Picasso. You do not even need to know what your creation is going to end up being. You just need to move the paint brush (or pencil, or marker, or even crayon) back and forth using whatever colors speak to you. Even coloring books have proven to be effective at reducing stress and enhancing creativity.

When stress is reduced, general levels of happiness and well-being tend to go up. Sleep tends to improve, and that alone tends to improve mood, as well as immune function. We are not saying that art therapy is a cure-all for whatever ails you, but when used in conjunction with other types of therapy, you might be amazed at the results you can get.

2)   Enhanced Self-Expression

Art is a form of self-expression, and it can be especially beneficial to older Americans who are losing their ability to speak or follow a conversation due to stroke and/or dementia. If they get frustrated trying to find the right word, they might find drawing or painting a much easier way to express themselves, which also helps to reduce stress.

3)   Improved Cognitive Function

Using shapes and colors as a form of self-expression requires a unique set of neural pathways, which means art therapy is a great way to develop and strengthen new neural pathways. This can help improve overall cognitive function, including memory, so if you or a loved one has been considering art therapy, you have plenty of reasons to try it, especially if impaired cognitive function is a factor.

4)   Enhanced Motor Skills

Drawing and painting both require fine motor skills, which means art therapy is a great way to develop and strengthen those motor skills.

5)   Increased Social Interaction

Art therapy can help to promote social interaction in a variety of ways. The first is that art therapy is usually taught as a class, which gives participants the opportunity to compare their work and their experiences of the class.

Because art therapy also provides an avenue of self-expression, as well as improved cognitive function, participants are better able to communicate with their peers, which makes them more likely to engage in social interaction. Since loneliness is a major cause of depression among older Americans, something that can improve their social interaction should always be encouraged.

At Stillwater Senior Living, we are committed to providing our residents with the best possible care for their minds as well as their bodies. If you have any questions about any of the services we offer, we would love to chat with you. Reach out now to start a conversation.