It’s never too late to become an artist. Some older adults have revealed their hidden talents when turned to art. No wonder art is often used for therapies and as a part of treatment for a lot of mental illnesses and to cure depression. Being a thing that works for everyone (remember that Frida Kahlo continued creating her masterpieces even after a serious injury being a bed-bound patient), art also doesn’t require a lot to start enjoying it.

Why choosing this activity:

  • Art for seniors = stress relief & better mood

When engaged in creating art, our brain is getting some rest and distracting itself from the stress sources. Just to remind, as to the World Health Organization (WHO), stress is currently the world’s most dangerous health risk and leads to anxiety, burnouts, weakens the immune system and increases heart attacks possibility. All of this can be treated by simply taking a pencil and expressing the feelings on a paper.

  • Art for seniors = expressing the feelings and emotions, finding a true passion

Art is something very personal - nobody will judge what you create and tell it’s right or wrong. Some art therapies even help people to get to know what they truly are with the help of specific tasks and implementations of the drawings done by a psychiatrist. It’s amazing how much one can get to learn after drawing some simple objects and figures.

  • Art for seniors = a great way to communicate with the world

It’s a way to show your special and unique vision. This is especially important for those who lack communication and can, therefore, expose themselves in art.

  • Art for seniors = a nice way to make some extra money

Who knows, maybe there is a great yet infamous artist hidden in a person? We never know without trying, art has no age limits. As a great example, a 66-years old Laura Hofstadter became famous by recreating recognizable artworks into her black and white self-portraits. As cited in the article, “Laura believes that the older we get, the more invisible we become to the society." There are a lot of websites that sell artworks, so consider it a nice way to make some extra money as well.

How to start:

  • Choose your genre

Is it going to be a still-life? A self-portrait? A fantasy or religious art? Choose whatever works for you. As an easy start, you can just draw any object in the room around and see how it goes

  • Get pencils, watercolors, acrylic paint, brushes, etc

You will surely need some equipment to create your best masterpiece. Don’t buy too much of it as it will get clear what exactly you need once you start digging in this hobby and learn about special techniques

  • Open Pinterest, talk to friends/family for inspiration

  • Once you have created something you take pride in, take a few pictures and post it on the Internet for the world to see

Recommend it to:

  • Bed-bound seniors

  • Those who want to feel inspired and enlightened and feel like they want a way to express themselves

  • Those looking for easy senior activities and fun things to do for the elderly