Art As Therapy
We tend to focus on the masterpiece, rather than on the cognitive process of creating art, but do you know what else you can gain from regularly setting aside time to be creative? Making art is a great way to help maintain & improve cognitive abilities, work through our feelings, and reduce stress. Even if you’ve never considered yourself an artist, we hope you’ll join us at our weekly Open Art Class at the Cinema Senior Center in Anderson each Tuesday to see what you can gain from making beautiful art with good friends! Find out more benefits of art for older adults below:
Improving Memory: Engaging in art therapy exercises the brain, which can enhance memory function. By creating and recalling visual images, seniors strengthen their memory recall abilities.
Boosting Problem-Solving Skills: Art therapy encourages seniors to think creatively and find solutions through artistic expression. This process activates the brain’s problem-solving skills, fostering a more adaptive and flexible mindset.
Promoting Focus and Attention: Through engaging in art-related tasks, seniors practice attention to detail, and improve focus over time. This heightened concentration is beneficial for anyone, but especially older adults!
Focus on Fine Motor Skills: Dexterity and motor skills are practiced & improved through art therapy, as it involves precise hand and finger movements. These skills transfer directly to everyday life and allow older adults to live independently longer.
Working Through Emotions: Art provides opportunities to express inner experiences in a visual way. This fosters healthy outlets and coping skills as well as providing a sense of accomplishment. This type of meaningful expression may not be possible verbally for some older adults due to things like Parkinson’s disease, other forms of dementia, and stroke.
Reducing Stress & Anxiety: Engaging in creative activities helps to calm the body’s stress response and encourages mindfulness. Studies have shown making art improves blood pressure, lowers heart rate, & regulates breathing.
Increasing Social Connections: In addition to these health benefits, group-based art classes are a great way to befriend other seniors who also love art! Although much of your time is spent creating rather than talking, you can still form deep connections with your peers who may be going through similar struggles.