Creating Healing Spaces Through Art in Senior Communities

Art has a unique ability to heal, inspire, and bring joy, especially within senior communities. Incorporating art into daily life can significantly enhance the well-being of seniors, fostering a sense of purpose and connection. Let’s discuss how creating healing spaces through art can benefit those in assisted living Arlington.

The Power of Art Therapy

Art therapy is a fantastic tool for promoting emotional health. Through creative expression, seniors can explore their feelings, reduce anxiety, and improve their overall mental health. Engaging in artistic activities like painting, drawing, and sculpture allows for self-expression and can be incredibly therapeutic.

Personalizing Living Spaces with Art

Encouraging residents to personalize their living spaces with their artwork can make their environment feel more like home. Displaying personal creations or favorite art pieces can bring comfort and a sense of ownership. It’s amazing how a splash of color or a cherished painting can transform a room.

Organizing Art Classes and Workshops

Offering regular art classes and workshops can keep the creative spirit alive. These sessions provide not only a creative outlet but also a social one. Sharing the creative process with peers fosters camaraderie and can lead to lasting friendships. Plus, learning new art techniques keeps the mind engaged and active.

Creating Communal Art Projects

Communal art projects can bring everyone together, fostering a sense of community. Whether it’s a mural, a quilt, or a garden sculpture, working on a group project helps build teamwork and strengthens bonds. The finished piece often becomes a proud symbol of collective effort and creativity.

Art Displays and Exhibitions

Hosting regular art exhibitions allows residents to showcase their work. These events can be incredibly uplifting, giving seniors a platform to share their creativity with others. Exhibitions also provide an opportunity for families and the wider community to engage and appreciate the talents of the residents.

Incorporating Nature into Art

Nature-inspired art projects can be particularly healing. Activities like flower arranging, leaf painting, or creating nature collages help residents connect with the outdoors and bring natural beauty into their living spaces. These projects can be delightful and soothing.

Tips for Encouraging Artistic Expression

• Provide a variety of materials: To inspire creativity, offer different types of paints, brushes, clay, and other art supplies.

• Create a dedicated art space: Set up a comfortable and well-lit area specifically for art activities.

• Encourage experimentation: Let residents explore different art forms without fear of making mistakes.

• Celebrate all efforts: Recognize and celebrate every piece of art, regardless of skill level.

• Invite local artists: Occasionally invite local artists to give talks or demonstrations, providing fresh inspiration.

In senior living Everett, we’ve seen firsthand how art can transform lives. Art brings countless benefits, from the joy of creating a simple drawing to the pride of displaying a completed project. We love seeing our residents’ faces light up with each new creation, and art fosters a truly heartwarming sense of community.

Creating healing spaces through art in senior communities offers numerous benefits, from emotional well-being to enhanced social connections. By embracing art therapy, personalizing spaces with art, and encouraging creative expression, we can create vibrant, supportive environments where seniors thrive. 

Staying Social to Keep Your Brain Sharp in Senior Years

In the golden years of life, maintaining an active social life is not just about enjoyment—it’s also crucial for keeping the brain sharp and resilient. For those in memory care and memory care San Tomas, as well as residents of senior living Santa Clara, social interactions play a key role in cognitive health, helping to ward off memory decline and promoting mental agility. Here’s why staying social is essential for brain health in senior years and how to cultivate meaningful connections.

1. Boosts Cognitive Functions

Regular social interaction stimulates the brain, encouraging the use of memory, language, and executive functions, which can contribute to a lower risk of cognitive decline. Engagements in discussions, storytelling, and even friendly debates in memory care San Tomas settings challenge the brain, keeping it active and engaged.

2. Reduces the Risk of Depression and Anxiety

Isolation and loneliness can lead to depression and anxiety, which are known to impact cognitive health negatively. Staying social helps to combat these feelings, providing emotional support through connections with friends, family, and peers. Senior living Santa Clara communities offer a variety of social activities and clubs designed to foster connections and promote mental well-being.

3. Promotes a Sense of Belonging

Being part of a community or group provides a sense of belonging and purpose, which is essential for mental health. Participation in group activities, whether in memory care facilities or senior communities, gives individuals a role and identity beyond their age or health conditions, contributing to a positive self-image and outlook on life.

4. Encourages Physical Activity

Social activities often involve some level of physical engagement, whether it’s walking together, participating in group exercise classes, or simply getting out of the house. Physical activity is not only good for the body but also for the brain, enhancing blood flow and promoting brain cell health. Facilities specializing in memory care San Tomas often integrate physical activities into their social programs to support overall brain health.

5. Provides Intellectual Stimulation

Learning new things or engaging in hobbies with friends can provide intellectual stimulation that keeps the brain sharp. Many senior living Santa Clara communities offer classes, workshops, and lectures on a variety of topics, giving seniors the opportunity to learn new skills and information, which stimulates cognitive functions and supports brain health.

Staying socially active in senior years is a vital component of maintaining cognitive health and quality of life. For residents of memory care, memory care San Tomas, and senior living Santa Clara, a wide range of social activities and opportunities for engagement can help keep the brain sharp and the spirit uplifted, proving that social connections are indeed a cornerstone of healthy aging.

An App to Help Those with Dementia Reinforce Memories

An interesting study from the University of Toronto, and reported by The Medical News Today, introduces a smartphone app for people with memory impairments that may help reinforce their memories of life events. Researchers explain the HippoCamera app imitates the function of the hippocampus by consolidating a person’s memories. The hippocampus is believed to repeatedly replay memories to the rest of the brain at a high speed to help stabilize them for long-term recall.
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Researchers explain the app works by recording everyday events in the person’s life and repeatedly playing them back to the person. They say the broader point of helping those with Alzheimer’s or other dementia diseases remember the events the HippoCamera recorded may be that remembering those things might result in a renewed ability to recall and share experiences. The lead study author, Dr. Chris Martin, says, “If you can better recall a specific moment from your recent past, you will have a stronger mental bridge between your present and past self.”

The study found people who used the app for two weeks experienced a 56% increase in their ability to recall the details of events recorded with the HippoCamera. People who used it for 70 consecutive days saw an 84% increase. Prof. Morgan D. Barense, senior investigator of the study and a cognitive neuropsychologist, says people also reported back the emotions they felt at the time and the people who were there. She adds their findings could encourage people to get into the habit of focusing on their memories and realizing there are simple things we can do to preserve them.

MorningStar at North Ridge offers trusted Alzheimer’s care in Albuquerque, NM. Every aspect of our care addresses the needs of our residents starting with the very design of our community to a wide range of wellness programs, activities and healthy, delicious meals. Our techniques include a variety of multi-sensory cues designed to calm and awaken memories as well as to support the person’s capabilities and affirm their dignity and value. Please contact us or visit our website for more information.

MorningStar at North Ridge represents the very best in Alzheimer’s care with a distinct mission statement of “to honor, to value, to invest”. With a foundation built on honoring God, valuing seniors and investing in staff with a felt calling to serve, we offer loving, compassionate care within a home-like setting. Please contact us or visit our website to learn more about our exceptional community.

Source: medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-a-smartphone-app-may-help-boost-memory-recall#Why-strong-memories-are-important

Meet the Area’s Newest Senior Living Community

Do you worry about your parent’s ability to live independently and are concerned a change in their health could necessitate a move to assisted living sometime in the near future? If so, now is the time to start making plans and what could be better than looking at a brand new community that already has a reputation for excellence. 

While new to the area, MorningStar of San Jose is part of MorningStar Senior Living, a company with several dozen retirement communities across the Western US. Founder/CEO, Ken Jaeger, began the company on a basic, but profound truth: to honor God in all aspects of our business practices and relationships, which transcends to a superior quality of life for MorningStar’s residents. Our basic principles include recognizing the human capacity to grow, to learn and to contribute is ageless; and we act upon these truths daily, as we care for, inspire, and love the residents under our roof. 

MorningStar of San Jose’s 69 assisted living suites provide a supportive environment in which residents can maintain their independence and get back to living life to the fullest. Senior care includes help with the ADLs (activities of daily living), 24/7 care managers, access to licensed nurses, medication management and other third-party service providers.  

For seniors suffering from Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, our distinct Reflections Neighborhood offers 34 memory care suites. Our holistic approach includes Montessori-based therapies, which leverage the power of music, dance, and arts and crafts to connect with and nurture the individual. 

MorningStar of San Jose’s unique mission statement “to honor, to serve, to invest” sets us apart from other senior living communities. Our prime location in San Jose puts us close to Saratoga, Los Gatos and Cupertino; and we are a short drive to the ocean, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and nearby vineyards. Contact us to learn more about availability at the finest assisted living and memory care San Jose offers and ask about exclusive savings for early depositors with our Move-in Specials. We open to residents in the spring of 2023

Independent Living at MorningStar Senior Living at Silver Lake

While there may be a number of senior communities in the Everette, WA area, we would like to introduce you to one of the best.  MorningStar at Silver Lake offers stylish suites for independent senior living for those who love the idea of carefree retirement years and plenty of time for life’s adventures.  

Situated in the Puget Sound region surrounded by water, forests, and mountains, MorningStar at Silver Lake is 25 miles north of Seattle, minutes from the world-renowned Providence Regional Medical Center, and close to shopping, banks, and restaurants. Local attractions include picturesque Silver Lake, Everett Naval Station at Puget Sound, Boeing Future of Flight Aviation Center and Jetty Island. 

For the most active seniors, our spacious suites range from studio, one bedroom and two-bedroom floorplans. Features include kitchens with microwaves, in-suite washers/dryers (in most apartments), window blinds, walk-in closets (in most), and available garage space. For peace of mind, bathrooms are handicap-accessible, and suites are equipped with a 24-hour emergency call system.  

Other services and amenities we provide to our residents include a bistro, fitness center, theatre/chapel, beautifully prepared meals served restaurant-style, enrichment activities, and more. Residents also enjoy raised garden beds, strolling paths, computer lounge, billiards & game room and scheduled transportation. To make sure you have the time to do what you want to do, we provide weekly housekeeping.  

Unlike many other senior communities in the area, MorningStar at Silver Lake also provides assisted living so if your needs change, we are here to help.  While you will find our website showcases pictures of our community, it doesn’t show the loving atmosphere that permeates throughout our home.   We attribute this to our exceptional care team that feels honored to serve seniors and has helped to make our community one of the finest for independent and assisted living Everett has to offer.

MorningStar takes tremendous pride in the reputation we have earned for excellence and authenticity since our inception in 2003.  We believe the human capacity to grow, to learn and to contribute is ageless; and we act upon that truth daily, as we care for, inspire, and love the residents under our roof. Contact us to learn more about the finest independent and assisted living Everett, WA offers.