Benefits of Art Therapy for the Elderly

Being creative brings with it countless advantages. So, not surprisingly, there are many benefits of art therapy for the elderly.

Art is a creative process. You are building something from nothing, which helps to stimulate the mind and gives you a sense of wellbeing. In so doing, art becomes an invaluable process and tool for individuals to function and to support society as a whole.

The benefits of art therapy for the elderly are many. These benefits are why most caregivers and care homes invest in senior art therapy, even from trained art therapists. 

In this post, we’ll be looking at the benefits of art therapy for the elderly. Many of these benefits are backed by research, and we will link to some of them for further reading.

You’ll see why we recommend senior art therapy and how to get started – even if you’re caring for a family member at home.

What is Art Therapy?

Art therapy is considered a therapeutic process. It can be defined as:

“integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.”

American Art Therapy Association (AATA)

Essentially, art therapy is using the creative process to help people cope with physical and mental stress. 

Art therapy is also a credentialed profession, where art therapists are trained to work in various settings. The minimum requirement to practice as a certified art therapist is a master’s degree plus certification. 

This is important to know if you’re looking at art therapy for your senior community as it can improve the quality of life in seniors.

Art Therapy At Home

However, seniors don’t have to see an art therapist to experience the many benefits of art therapy. Research indicates that while art therapy as conducted by certified art therapists is great, many seniors can still experience similar results from just participating in art classes or events.  

There are many simple artistic activities that can be done that expose seniors to the mental health and physical benefits of art until you can bring in a certified art therapist. 

You don’t need to stick with art either. Other creative endeavors can be helpful too, including music.

So, let’s look at these benefits and how you can improve the overall welfare of the seniors in your care.

What are the Benefits of Art Therapy for the Elderly?

As one review of published art therapy literature found “there is a small body of quantifiable data to support the claim that art therapy is effective in treating a variety of symptoms, age groups, and disorders.”

So, art is more than just a creative outlet or a hobby for some. It can help to improve the wellbeing, health, and happiness of seniors. Painting, sketching, sculpting, pottery are all forms of art therapy activities that can yield great results for older adults. They also help their caregivers in that it makes their job easier to take care of and communicate with seniors. 

So, let’s get down to the eight benefits of art therapy for seniors. 

1. Improves Cognition

There is increasing scientific evidence that art therapy enhances brain function and that it provides intellectual stimulation. And art therapy has been a go-to palliative care method for persons experiencing dementia or Alzheimer’s.

When you challenge seniors to create a piece of art, you’re asking them to look at things from a different perspective. This, in turn, helps to stimulate their minds and eventually increase cognitive skills. 

In fact, with older adults who have experienced memory loss, this activity can stimulate their senses and help to trigger forgotten memories. Learning new art forms improves thinking skills and the ways that seniors make neural connections, something that may be lost as they age.

2. Improves physical and sensorimotor functions 

Art therapy can improve motor skills. The movements and coordination required for specific types of art can facilitate improvements in motor functions in older adults.

Over time, with the increased use of their hands and arms, seniors can improve blood flow and muscle coordination. They are able to enhance their physical dexterity and range of movement.

And of course, this will contribute to how much they can reduce inflammation and pain, which leads us to benefit number 3 – pain relief. 

3. Reduces Pain 

Art therapy for the elderly helps with pain. Many seniors suffer from chronic pain from inflammation, arthritis, and hypertension. Art therapy is generally a naturally relaxing activity. Because of this, it can help to reduce the stiffness in their hands and inflammation. 

Plus, focusing on a single task can help seniors to forget about pain.

We’re not saying the pain goes away. But not focusing on the pain for a little while can be a very good thing.

And in some cases, the process will actually help to reduce the inflammation that leads to the pain. That’s because the small, purposeful movements required in art therapy can improve blood flow as seniors use their fingers, hands, and arms.

So, art therapy for seniors can help them better manage their pain discomfort, even if it won’t stop their chronic pain. Plus, some people also argue that art therapy can boost the immune system.

4. Relieves Stress

Art improves emotional balance, and this allows seniors to relieve stress and anxiety. As one research paper noted, “engagement with creative activities has the potential to contribute toward reducing stress and depression…”

So, art therapy for seniors should be about the creative process. With this in mind, seniors are encouraged to focus on expressing their feelings. And when they do so, it allows them to release the internal emotional turmoil and reduce their stress levels. 

For example, art therapy is often used for dementia patients. Memory loss is a stressful situation for both the seniors and their caregivers. So, in addition to the medical benefits of art for dementia seniors, it is a calming and creative process that can promote happy feelings. And this is a great start to alleviating stress in both seniors and the people caring for them.

5. Helps with Depression 

A study of seniors residing in a care home published in the Social Work in Health Care Journal showed that art can help decrease depression and improve self-esteem.

In fact, art therapy could help with overall mental health for seniors. The authors noted that it could improve long-term care and move it towards a “more diverse, unique, and innovative direction.”

So, one way in which art contributes to helping with depression is through what it does in our body. Creating art stimulates the release of dopamine, a natural chemical in our body that makes us feel happier. Therefore, this feel-good neurotransmitter is very useful in battling depression. 

6. Fosters Socialization 

Many art programs for seniors are done in a social setting. It’s an alternate way of interacting with others, and it gives seniors a chance to create connections.

This allows our older adults to build relationships with other adults as well as their caregivers and helps alleviate the effects of senior social isolation.

7. Helps with Communication 

For our seniors who find it difficult to communicate, art could be an outlet for expression. They learn how to connect with themselves and others. And like with the benefits of socialization, it helps to reduce the feelings of loneliness and isolation.

It’s a great method for seniors to connect with their loved ones, caregivers, and friends, especially if they’re impacted by memory loss or affected by other issues that impact communication.

8. Promotes Self-Expression 

Finally, art can give seniors a chance to find a new creative outlet and a way of expressing themselves. It can be a new form of self-expression if they’re lost their ability to speak or write due to the effects of aging. 

When art allows seniors to address their values and beliefs, it can lead to emotional and spiritual growth and improvement in their self-esteem. 

It can change seniors’ outlook on the world and how they view themselves in the world. This highlights the importance of making sure that the activities you choose are culturally appropriate in addition to offering a creative outlet.

How to Incorporate Art Therapy for the Elderly as a Caregiver 

Senior art therapy can be an expensive process. But, if you manage a senior community, it’s an investment that’s well worth it to enhance the lives of those in your care. 

As an at-home caregiver, you may not have the resources to start with a clinical-based intervention. But you can start small and build your way up.

There are many art activities that you can do at home, from simple art and crafts to more involved artistic pursuits. Look at mandala coloring, pottery making/clay sculpting, painting, sketching.

Find activities that can stimulate the senses, requires seniors to use their hands, and think creatively. 

You could also look online for information about art therapy. For example, Udemy offers various courses in art therapy (like this one). Even the ones designed to help people individually could help you support family members.

And then tell us, what’s the favorite art therapy activity for the seniors in your care?