by Abbey Marra
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Many of us are eagerly anticipating the holiday season, a time where friends and families gather to share special meals, exchange gifts, and make lasting memories.
Yet, it would be wrong to assume that the holidays are nothing but a time of joy and laughter for everyone involved. Financial pressure and stress during the winter months become increasingly common as we age. In particular, seniors regularly struggle with depression during the holiday season. Chronic health issues, loss of loved ones, and feelings of loneliness can make it a difficult time of year for them. Luckily, art therapy is one of the greatest resources to combat holiday depression.
Creative art therapies help to engage the body, intrigue the mind, and inspire the spirit. Art therapy simply means the application of the visual arts in a therapeutic context, and has been proven to offer incredible mental health benefits. Creating art can help seniors acknowledge and recognize feelings that might have previously remained in their subconscious, and provides them with a resource to express those emotions in a productive way.
In addition to self discovery, art therapy activities have also been proven to boost self-esteem, relieve stress, and provide a sense of accomplishment. At Fine Art Miracles, we are working hard to help our elderly community members who might be struggling with feelings of loneliness and depression over the holidays, and we are proud to offer a variety of art therapy services for the seniors we serve.
Due to COVID-19, we have created pre-packaged ART2GO lessons available for home delivery, allowing us to reach a large number of seniors sheltering at home. With your donation, we can achieve our goal by the December 1st deadline and reach as many isolating seniors as possible, giving them a reason to rejoice during this holiday season.
Find out more here: ioby.org/ART2GO
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Sources:
Creativity and Recovery: The Mental Health Benefits of Art Therapy https://www.rtor.org/2018/07/10/benefits-of-art-therapy/
The Guide to Overcoming Holiday Depression for the Elderly and Their Caretakers https://www.aclsonline.us/articles/the-guide-to-overcoming-holiday-depression-for-the-elderly-and-their-caretakers/
