There is no disputing the fact that remaining active is crucial to the overall health and well being of every individual, regardless of age.  However, due to limitations in mobility, isolation and illnesses, seniors can easily become inactive.  This can lead to a rapid decline in cognitive functioning. Therefore, many senior care communities provide scheduled activities and therapies to not only serve as entertainment, but to also aid in exercising the brain. 

Sycamore Village implements many different kinds of therapies and activities within it's community.  Some focus on physical exercise, such as the Wii games provide, while others encourage creativity and expression, as in the recent hat making contest that many of the residents participated in last month.  Among the creative programs currently in place at Sycamore Village are music, drama, horticulture and art therapies. Throughout the year, we will be highlighting each of these therapies specifically with:

• General information on the therapy
• What the therapy is used for
• How the therapy is used at Sycamore Village

In light of the recent, resident art auction on July 27th, it seems fitting to begin by discussing art therapy first.  There are many theories to utilizing and interpreting art therapy.  For seniors, it is best used to allow the individuals to express themselves with no restrictions.  This provides an outlet for those residents who may have trouble communicating in a traditional manner. For example, some residents may have trouble speaking, due to dementia or a stroke.  Art therapy can be used to help the resident express their feelings.  This in turn, helps to relieve the stress and frustration that many people feel when they lose the ability to communicate verbally. The therapy also is a great way to tap into recalling memories.  Several of the residents painted or drew objects from their childhood/young adulthood.  These memories provide great details for staff and family members to further connect with their resident or family member. Exploring these stories and feelings can lead to more recollections and forgotten memories.

We will be sharing personal life stories of some of our residents and would love to hear yours.  Please leave comments or share your experiences.   Next we will be looking into drama therapy and the different approaches that can used to achieve the desired results.