Over the years, studies have suggested that less than half of American adults consider themselves to be creative people. This might lead you to believe that there’s no way art could help senior citizens improve their mental health. But many senior living facilities have started to offer art classes and other art programs to the people living there. They’ve encouraged both those who are interested in art and those who wouldn’t necessarily call themselves artists to participate in them. Even those who have conditions like dementia and require memory care are asked to take part in them. And guess what? Studies have found that there is a positive connection between art and mental health in senior citizens. If you live in a senior living community or if you know someone who does, you should look into the art programs offered by it. Many senior citizens may be able to enjoy a long list of benefits by signing up for them. Here are several ways in which art can help senior citizens when it comes to their mental health.
Gives Seniors a Stronger Sense of Purpose
Some seniors will struggle to find their sense of purpose when living in a senior living facility. After spending most of their adult lives working, they’ll no longer have a job to provide them with a feeling of purpose. This can sometimes leave them feeling lost on an almost daily basis. Taking part in an arts program will help to restore this sense of purpose in no time. They’ll begin to look forward to participating in this program and tapping into their creative energy. This will make them feel better about themselves and their current condition. Simply having a sense of purpose can work wonders for their mental health.
Helps Seniors Form Connections With Others
Seniors aren’t always able to form quick connections with other people after moving into a senior living facility. As a result, they’ll often feel lonely, and this loneliness can take a toll on both their physical and mental health. Studies have shown that seniors who are lonely are many times at risk for serious health complications. It’s why they should do whatever it takes to steer clear of loneliness as best they can.
Joining an art program at a senior living facility is an excellent way to do this. It’ll make it possible for seniors to form tighter connections with other people, and this will, in turn, improve both their physical and mental health by leaps and bounds in many cases. It’ll make aging well a stronger possibility.
Makes Seniors Feel More Independent
It can be difficult for some seniors who live in senior living facilities and, more specifically, assisted living facilities to maintain their independence. They’ll have other people helping them out a lot of the time, and it’ll begin to wear on them in some instances. They may be able to combat this by enrolling in art programs that will give them an opportunity to show that they can still be independent people. They can take control of the art they’re working on and use it to express themselves more than they might be able to otherwise.
Gives Seniors a Chance to Get Better at Something
Some seniors will show up for art programs at senior living facilities and have natural talents as far as art is concerned already. Others won’t know the first thing about putting together a piece of artwork. Either way, all seniors will get the chance to get better at something when they’re working on their art. They’ll experience a feeling of accomplishment when they finish a piece of art and see everything that went into making it.
Improves the Self-Esteem of Seniors
It’s not uncommon at all for seniors to deal with self-esteem issues. Since they are typically unable to do at least some of the things they used to do, it can wreak havoc on the perception they have of themselves and cause their self-esteem to plummet. Participating in an art program is a fantastic way for seniors to build their self-esteem back up. They’ll be able to once again take pride in getting their hands dirty and creating something by using their creative energy. Those leading art programs will also usually make it a point to be as encouraging as they can be. It gives seniors a much-needed boost when it comes to their self-esteem and shows that they do still have some special talents to offer to the world.
Lets Seniors Maintain Their Coordination
As seniors age, they’re going to find that their coordination will suffer to some degree. But they don’t need to lose their coordination altogether. They will, however, need to work at maintaining their coordination as often as they can. An art program will provide them with the perfect chance to work on their coordination skills without having to think about it too much. Even just the simple act of getting to and from art meetings can help seniors practice their coordination by staying active and keeping them sharp. It’s just one more reason why seniors should consider signing up for art programs at senior living facilities if they can.
Come See How Our Senior Living Facility Can Benefit You
There is definitely a connection between art and mental health that all seniors should explore. Whether you’re a senior yourself or you have a special senior in your life, you should keep this in mind. Inspired Living is a senior living facility that believes strongly in helping seniors to strengthen their bonds and maintain their independence through things like art. We hope that you’ll consider coming to take a tour of our facility to see how it can help you or a loved one who is looking for a senior living community. Contact us now to schedule a tour so that you can see what our facility is all about.
