The healing power of art

AGEING IS often seen as a period of decline, but it doesn’t have to be. Many seniors are now discovering that their golden years can also be their most creative. From painting and pottery to embroidery and crochet, older adults are tapping into the transformative power of art to enrich their lives, improve their mental health, and stay socially connected.

Art, it turns out, is not just about aesthetics. It is medicine for the soul. According to a 2020 report, Arts and Health, by the World Health Organization (WHO), creative activities can play a significant role in preventing illness and promoting health across all ages. For seniors, in particular, participating in art-making has been shown to reduce stress, alleviate depression, and even improve physical mobility.

This phenomenon is at the heart of what experts call creative ageing. Psychology Today defines it as the practice of engaging older adults, typically 55 and over, in professionally-led arts programmes that focus on social connection and skill development. Across Jamaica, more and more seniors are embracing this approach to wellbeing.

Just ask 74-year-old Dorette Forsythe. A resident of St Andrew, Forsythe rediscovered her passion for crochet and embroidery after retirement. “You know when you reach retirement age, they push you out the door. So, I was home all day with little to do and decided I should take up embroidery again to help with the boredom,”she said candidly.

Forsythe’s love for the craft began as a child, helping her mother sew crests on uniforms for Stella Maris Preparatory School. Those early lessons, stitched with love and precision, laid the foundation for a creative journey that would later provide purpose and peace in her senior years.

Her rediscovery of art was nurtured at Golden Designs, an organisation offering art classes for seniors in Kingston and Trelawny. The centre provides creative engagement for seniors, a model that reflects the wider impact of art on ageing.

Through weekly classes, seniors like Forsythe have found not only new skills but a renewed sense of community. Participants are encouraged to create and showcase their work, and those who excel are given opportunities to sell their items at craft fairs, transforming hobbies into potential sources of income.

“I made jewellery, handbags, beanies, and even swimsuits. Working on my pieces helps me relax my mind. It is therapeutic for me,” she shared, beaming.

The benefits go beyond creativity, which is backed by science. In ‘The Creativity and Aging Study’ led by geriatric psychiatrist, Dr Gene Cohen, older adults who participated in regular art classes reported fewer doctor visits, less medication use, and overall better health compared to their non-participating peers.

The National Endowment for the Arts’ 2017 report, Staying Engaged: Health Patterns of Older Americans Who Engage in the Arts, indicates that seniors who both create art and attend arts events report higher cognitive functioning and lower rates of hypertension and physical limitations compared to those who do neither.

For many seniors, creative programmes also offer an important antidote to isolation which is a growing concern globally. In 2021, The WHO, warned that social isolation and loneliness are significant concerns among older adults globally, with some countries reporting up to every one in three older people feel lonely. The National Institute on Ageing reports that loneliness can be as harmful to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness can increase the risk of premature death by about 26 per cent.

With Jamaica’s ageing population projected to reach 17 per cent by 2030, opportunities to build meaningful connections through group activities like art will become increasingly essential. While Forsythe’s story is one of personal fulfilment, it is also a beacon for what is possible when seniors are encouraged to keep learning and exploring.

“Every senior should try to be part of creative ageing. Those who are interested should give it a try and learn a skill or two to occupy their time and mind,” she said.

The healing power of art lies not just in what is created; but in what is restored, a sense of self, a feeling of accomplishment, and a vibrant connection to the present. Art reminds us that ageing is not the end of the story, but rather a chance to write new and beautiful chapters. In the hands of seniors like Forsythe, creativity becomes a brushstroke of resilience, a stitch of joy, and a masterpiece of healing.

Thinking of trying it?

Local community centres, churches, and organisations like Golden Designs offer a variety of creative programmes for older adults. Whether it is painting, crafting, or writing, there is no better time than now to explore the healing power of art.

SOURCE: Golden Designs. They may be reached at www.goldendesigns.org.