As people reach old age, they lose motor skills and certain abilities are reduced. To avoid or delay this deterioration, you can carry out activities within Art Therapy, which function not only as a moment of leisure, but also to maintain psychomotor skills, enhance attention and improve technical skills.
Through artistic productions (painting, plays…) older people are allowed to recreate themselves, and the emotions and sensations that appear during these activities are translated into colors, shapes, lines and movements.
With Art Therapy, we try above all to stimulate certain senses such as smell, hearing, taste and touch.
WHAT BENEFITS DOES IT HAVE?
- In those people who have difficulties in verbal expression, it facilitates communication and language skills.
- Increases self-esteem, older people become motivated and engage in active participation by expressing their feelings. You can not only express a feeling verbally, but also, for example, through painting.
- Creative and artistic expressions are authentic, they reflect sensations from the person’s inner world in their most original and transparent form.
- Facilitates social interaction
- Promotes the stimulation of cognitive areas such as memory, creativity and imagination.
- Reduces stress and anxiety. Facilitates thinking about the here and now.
- Gives security and reduces dependency
- Promotes concentration, self-esteem and autonomy
PHASES IN AN ART THERAPY WORKSHOP
In an art therapy workshop, there can be several phases, in which each one has a different therapeutic objective:
– First of all, the activity is explained. Bonds are created, and it forces the person to show an interest in what they are about to do. An atmosphere of trust and serenity is created and curiosity begins to awaken.
– Afterwards, the elderly person comes into contact with the materials they will use. In this phase the creative side and imagination develop. They are allowed to experiment, to know that there is still much to learn and discover.
– Finally, sharing the work done allows you to express your emotions and show what you felt when doing the therapy. The person knows that they are listened to and respected and that they have a place for personal development.
It is preferable in most cases that the activities are carried out in a group because isolation produces hopelessness and the aging process is shared. A group gives permanence and a sense of community.
Artistic activities are part of people’s innate knowledge to a greater or lesser extent. Awakening that part of knowledge is very advantageous, because it has no limit.
