By simply picking up a paintbrush and creating alongside others, older adults in senior living facilities have the power to fight off cognitive decline, depression and anxiety. In 2020, however, the COVID-19 pandemic stole the brushes right from their hands and isolated them within the four walls of their rooms.
For the therapeutic art specialists at Artfully Aging in St. Louis, watching our in-person watercolor sessions for seniors come to a halt after 10 years was heartbreaking. We know the impact isolation can have on a senior’s overall mental and physical health, and became even more determined to provide our participants with an escape from the overwhelming loneliness by reigniting their creativity.
Just in time for 2021, Artfully Aging is bringing our renowned senior art program online. Our goal is to offer every senior – no matter where they live in the U.S. – the opportunity to participate in art sessions and provide activity directors and caregivers with support and training to deliver quality programming, even if they have no art experience.
How our online art sessions can benefit your residents and your community
Artfully Aging’s new online model gives any senior living facility the ability to offer residents a therapeutic art program. While developed in response to the pandemic, this fully automated system can be used well after the crisis is over to engage seniors in life-enhancing activities that improve health outcomes.
The benefits of our new system include:
-
An extensive menu of projects –Your staff can choose from a variety of seasonal and timely watercolor projects, which they can coordinate with scheduled themes and activities planned within the community. A packet of prepared watercolor sheets corresponding to each selected project will be shipped directly to your facility and come in a selection of quantities to best suit your needs. Paintbrushes and watercolor paints can also be ordered directly through Artfully Aging or purchased independently from a provided supply list.
-
Easy, online training – All projects include a short step-by-step instructional video that can be accessed online. To ensure the success of your Artfully Aging program, we also offer “Train the Trainer” videos for your staff, including watercolor tips and techniques as well as helpful approaches for working with residents in different levels of care.
-
No more invoice hassles –Check requests for outside specialists are time-consuming and can put your programming on hold. Because all Artfully Aging projects are ordered and paid for online, it’s easier than ever to get your in-house art program rolling.
-
Simple scheduling – Artfully Aging’s online therapeutic art for older adults lets you schedule activities when it’s most convenient for your senior living facility. Instead of coordinating times with third-party vendors, you can lead sessions anytime, whether in a shared common space or in a resident’s private room.
-
Lower costs for your facility – We understand the financial challenges today’s senior living facilities face. That’s why we offer top-quality watercolor projects at a price point that’s affordable for any community. Your residents get all the benefits of therapeutic art, including reduced stress, decreased loneliness and better overall health, without relying on in-person sessions.
-
Accessible anywhere – Artfully Aging has been serving St. Louis since 2009, and in 2019, was recognized by the Missouri Arts Council as an expert in the field of arts and aging. By transitioning to an online platform, Artfully Aging brings our pioneering creative aging program to seniors anywhere in the country. Whether you serve older adults at a senior living facility, nursing home, community center, or even in their own home, you can access therapeutic art projects that were once limited to the St. Louis region.
We invite you to visit Artfully Aging’s new online store now to explore our current projects and staff training opportunities. Or, for more details on our online senior art program, contact us today at.
All of us at Artfully Aging look forward to helping your residents discover their inner artist and find hope during this difficult time in all of our lives.
