Art & Craft
At Birchwood House, we love to encourage our residents to participate in a variety of art and craft sessions – especially at this time of year and there are so many reasons why creative activities can have a positive effect on the mind, soul – and even the body!
Many elderly people shy away from creative activities – they feel as though they are not ‘artistic’ – but every resident is given the opportunity to participate and engage in art & craft activities tailored to their ability.
As people get older, they sometimes lose the ability to communicate effectively or engage in activities that they once enjoyed, causing frustration. Crafting can help give seniors a sense of purpose, boosting their confidence. Crafting can reduce feelings of anxiety, isolation and brings about a general feeling of happiness. In fact, studies have shown that a simple activity such as painting or knitting releases the feel-good chemical dopamine, a natural anti-depressant found in the body. Working together also encourages conversation, and sometimes new friendships are born over a crafting table!
Getting creative is ideal for keeping an elderly person’s mind focused and busy. Just as with young children, something as simple as cutting and sticking or painting can help with an elderly person’s dexterity and motor skills – as well as being highly cathartic. It also helps with hand-eye coordination; following a pattern or creating a design of their own stimulates different parts of the brain.
Creative therapy is also an ideal activity for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s as painting or colouring will take them back to happy times spent as a child, or with their own children.
We firmly believe in the therapeutic benefits of the creative arts and are delighted to offer art and craft sessions for our residents – we will soon be working to design Christmas cards! To find out more about the other activities we have here on offer at Birchwood House, please get in touch…
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