Doing art with our loved ones is not just about getting meaningless coloring pages to fill in the day. It isn’t about getting through an activity as fast as we can to move on to the next activity. It’s about using art as a process to enrich lives, access memories, and give meaning and structure to the day.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here are some guidelines for making art truly therapeutic….and fun!

• Choose Easy but Meaningful Art Projects- Projects that are two difficult for elders may just create frustration. For instance, this last Easter we bought a kit to make Ukrainian eggs! They pictures on the box were GORGEOUS, but we knew right away that the project would be too difficult due to the amount of precision and time required. On the other hand, choosing activities that are too easy or childish might result in less interest. For example, gluing cotton balls to a paper to make a cloud is easy, but some individuals could find it irrelevant or even demeaning. The trick is to find something both doable and meaningful to get the most out of the time.
• Develop Themes – Themes are a wonderful way to give meaning to activities and to create continuity between the day, week, or month. For example, at Magnolia and Primrose we picked a different April-related theme for each week in April. “Themes of the week” in April included baseball, spring blossoms, and Easter. To develop a theme, look at what holidays, seasons, or special dates are coming up soon. Use the theme to connect the art to special memories For instance, one of the activities during baseball week was making a pennant. Elders could put their names, special number, favorite teams, whatever on it! During the activity, conversation about baseball memories are easily evoked and great conversation ensues. Displaying art afterwards also helps continue the theme and build upon it with future activities.
  

  Nearly everyone has strong baseball memories!(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

• Use Art to Reminisce and Converse-  Individuals with memory loss or Alzheimer’s may have trouble remembering recent events, but many can recall treasured memories of the past., and many love to reminisce on these memories. Art projects can be one way to start conversation about these memories. Even a simple coloring page of an apron or a jack-o-lantern can become meaningful because of the conversation it facilitates.
  
• Involve Children- Many elders love to visit with children. You should see how some of our resident’s light up when children come for a “play date”! If your loved one has children that come to visit, try to involve all of them in some form of art! Many times I see our residents brighten at the chance to help a young child with a craft If a craft is too hard, music is another lovely way to create art and connect the generations. Choose songs that seniors know and that are easy to teach children. Add household instruments and voila!
• Break it Into Pieces- More difficult projects CAN be done, but frequently they need to be broken into stages. This can be beneficial though as they again provide continuity and a sense of purpose. Don’t be afraid to break an art project into several days!
• Follow your loved one’s Lead- When he or she says an art piece is done, it’s done!
• Use a Variety of Mediums-Art is a sensory experience. Using a variety of senses is great for the brain! Try lots of different mediums: not only to see what your loved one is most capable of, but also to stimulate different parts of the brain. When we do art pages at Magnolia & Primrose, we know that some people are great with a paintbrushes and enjoy water colors. For others, a paintbrush is frustrating and crayons or makers are more appropriate. Beyond coloring & painting on a page you can do ceramics, origami with colorful paper, music, weaving, paper flowers, collages, and mosaics….the sky is the limit!
  

  Doodling is a great way to encourage self-expression. It can also be done as a group activity for fun! You start with a group of people in a circle. Everyone has one minute to start a doodle on their page. After a minute, the artists pass their papers and the next person adds another doodle. The end result is often interesting (and funny as well!)

• Encourage self-expression- Planned art projects are wonderful and have their place, but there is a huge place for self-expression! Take for example painting: painting a picture of  country farm by coloring in the lines is fine and may work well for some individuals. This may not, however, allow for much self-expression. On the other hand, many people with dementia would not be able to create a farm scene from a blank piece of paper. However, placing part of a farm scene on a paper  (such as grass and a fence) and having a discussion on farms may provide more space for self-expression.
  
• Always consider safety – Some individuals may eat small beads or put toxic substances in their mouth. Also sharp objects may need supervision, so please consider safety always!

Hopefully this post gave you some guidance for using art with your loved one. Next time in post 3 of 3 on Art Therapy. we will discuss where to find ideas for projects and how to find inexpensive resources!

Blossoming Tree Project for March: This picture was made by applying dots of paint by a Q-tip to a pre-printed picture of an empty tree. The use of pink in this picture gives the impression of a cherry tree!

Why Make Art a Priority?

At the Magnolia and Primrose care home, we believe that art and activities are at least as important as medications. Why is that?

• Art provides other avenues for self-expression which is a huge bonus for individuals with diminishing language capabilities. It uses parts of the brain that are often easier to tap into than language skills and which degenerate slower than other parts of the brain.
•  Additionally, art therapy can prove calming for some individuals during episodes of agitation. Similar effects are seen with music, animals, and even just viewing art!
• Art is also useful in building relationships. Caregivers and elders can work together on projects which in turn strengthens their bond together. It can also be used to provide intergenerational interactions between elders and children. Finally, group art projects can build a sense of community in care homes and assisted living facilities. For example, last month each resident was giving a square piece of cardstock with a simple heart outline on it. Each resident was given the opportunity to fill in their hearts with magazine clippings, drawings, or coloring. At the end, all the hearts were combined with pieces of valentine cardstock to create a quilt like effect. The residents were very proud of the beautiful “quilt” they created together!

 To learn more about the intersection between art therapy and neuropsychology, check out this fascinating article about how art therapy can be used and what it does.

Finally, I came across this video from the International Art Therapy Organization in my search for more information about art therapy. It is a fascinating and deeply moving story of a man who started painting for the first time after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Check out their page on neurodegenerative disorders for more information.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_Te-s6M4qc&feature=player_embedded

Blog Posts Coming soon…..

• 2 of 3: Reaching the Inner-Artist: Tips for creating art with those with memory loss
• 3 of 3: Ideas and Resources for Artistic Expression: Where can you find easy but meaningful projects?

One of the ways we do this is through integrating animals and visits from children in the care home. Most people respond to animals with very positive emotions. Our residents’ faces light up and they love stroking the soft fur of cats and dogs. It is not just our residents who enjoy animals, there is research to suggest that animal therapy provides tangible benefits to elders and elders with dementia in particular. According to this review, studies show that the presence of animals reduces aggression and agitation and promotes social interaction. There is even some evidence to suggest that animals can encourage better eating at meal times. Other possible benefits of animal therapy include increased exercise and mobility (ex. throwing a ball, grooming, short walks) and of course, pleasure.

Because of the obvious benefits of animal interactions, we have tried to integrate animals of all kinds into our care homes. Currently at Magnolia we have a pair of parakeets that keep the air lively with bird chatter. Next door at Primrose, three zebra finches flit about  in their habitat and their soft tweets add a pleasant ambiance. Outside our garden frequently welcomes wild birds and butterflies. The owner’s dog, Roxy, also loves to come visit the residents and warm their laps.

Our next step is to add permanent pets to the care homes that residents can help care for and feel ownership over. To this end, we recently adopted two white mini poodle puppy brothers. They are hypoallergenic, loving, and the perfect size for a lap dog. Once they are completely trained they will move to the care home to be permanent therapy dogs. For now, they come by for short visits to get used to the home and the equipment they might see her. We couldn’t resist snapping this picture of one of our residents and a puppy, both of whom have cast right now for breaks. Dont’ worry, both are healing!

So, what is a drum circle? A drum circle can mean lots of different things, Basically its any group of people playing percussion in a circle. The focus is on the event itself, not practicing for a performance or attempting to make an actual song. Here is a great quotation from Mickey Hart, Grateful Dead drummer, during a testimony before the United States Special Committee on Aging,

Typically people gather to drum in drum “circles” wiht others from the surrounding community. The drum circle offers equality because there is no head or tail. It includes people of all ages. The main objective is to share rhythm and get in tune with each other and themselves. To form a group consciousness. To entrain and resonate. By entertainment, I mean that a new voice, a collective voice, emerges from the group as they drum together.

Why do a drum circle? Well there are lots of benefits to this form of expression and music! They include:

• Loosening stiff joints in the arms and hands
• Improving circulation in the arms and hands
• Providing an easily accessible mild exercise
• Stimulating the mind with music
• Building a sense of group identiy
• Can easily be done as an intergenerational activty with youth.
• Really fun, many say it “makes them feel young again”

So, what do you need to start your own drum circle? While fancy African drums and bongos would be wonderful, you can also find many other less expensive instruments. In fact, it’s nice to have a variety of percussion instruments since every participant may have a different capabilities with their hands and arms and different interests. Here are some things we used last night that worked out great

• large metal coffee cans for drumming. Oatmeal cartons work too!
• small glass bottles filled with beans or other small objects
• hatboxes (they make great makeshift drums!)
• maracas ( often inexpensive)
• a stick rubbed on the outside of a ridged coffee can
• get creative!

Have you ever been a part of a drum circle? What instruments would YOU add?

The Santa Maria Baseball team and the Residents of Magnolia

On Sunday we were visited at Magnolia & Primrose by the Santa Maria Baseball Club U14.  The team showed off some of their baseball skills with a short practice. Afterwards they joined residents in a game of catch. We snapped a great picture of Ms. Jeanne throwing a ball back!

Jeanne has a great arm!

The baseball exposition was followed by pizza with the team and the residents in our party barn. Check out our slideshow for more pictures!

At the end of the visit they received a donation from the care home to help cover the costs of their fall league. Check out the story from the Santa Maria Times.

Joey Halsell plays on the team and is the grandson of owners Chuck & Margie Halsell. Thank you Joey for bringing your team by! Good luck in your next season.

One way we are preparing is  by starting a walking club! Participating employees receive a pedometer and are put into a drawing for prizes when they reach over 10,000 steps in a day. However, walking your way to health isn’t just for the young!

•  Did you know taking at least 10,000 steps a day can help improve your health and reduce the risk of chronic disease?
• Did you know the average person only takes about 2,000 to 4,000 steps a day?
• Pedometers are economical and a great way to track your daily activity

• A Huge porch with cozy lounge chairs
• Views of the valley, lawn, rustic barn, and rose garden
• Gourmet kitchen
• A big living room with high ceilings
• Fully fenced and secure for the safety of our residents.

Please call to come and check out our new facility! We would love to have you visit.

Check out our pictures. It looks like a pizza parlor at Magnolia. Do you celebrate May Day?

What are your favorite icons of Easter?

Image by sachman75 via Flickr

All last week and this week we are celebrating Chinese New Year at Magnolia. Celebrating holidays and learning about other cultures is a great way to keep the mind engaged and free from boredom. Here are some of the goings-on at Magnolia  right now to welcome the year of the rabbit.

• What is your animal? Are you a rabbit? Find out here.
• Study of mandarin oranges- most popular fruit during Chinese New Year
• Armchair travels to the Great Wall of China
• Stories about rabbits
• The Arts: Rabbit paints, red envelopes and lanterns

People born in the year of the rabbit are supposedly gracious, good friends, kind, and sensitive. What does the Chinese Zodiac say your personality is like?