Stone and Shell Craft - Art Therapy for those with Alzheimer's

Such a lovely craft ... inexpensive, easy to do and so so pretty!!

Art Therapy is such an important part of our life now! 

Since introducing arts & crafts into our daily routine over two years ago, I have found it has had great benefits for my mum. She is happier, less agitated and has a purpose to every day now. 

Our latest project is stone and shell craft and we have made some beautiful paper weights!!

We collect our stones from a local river ...

Then using different media ... acrylic paint, nail varnish and glitter we start to transform our stones!

We have also been decorating shells! 

My mum loves pretty things and she is in her element using glitter!

We have found glittered nail varnish is easiest for her to apply.

Felt tip pens can be used to create pretty patterns on the shells.

My mum is so proud of her creations and she loves to give them away ... to doctors, nurses, friends ... in fact anyone who admires them!!

I believe Art Therapy can definitely improve the quality of life for those with Alzheimer’s. 

Art stimulates the brain, triggers memories and allows creative expression.

Every day we dedicate time to an art project with such positive results!

For more photos and ideas please visit my facebook page

LIKE the page to keep up to date with all our projects!

Creative Carer Facebook Page

Creative Colouring - Art Therapy for those with Alzheimer's

Art Therapy is becoming one of the most thoroughly documented alternative therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. It is evident that initiatives that help people with Alzheimer's get involved in creative activity obtains surprising results. 

Adult colouring books are popular for stress relief and can be found in craft shops or on Amazon.

I have found these colouring books fantastic for my mum who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's & Vascular Dementia in 2012.

My mum has always been very creative and although the Alzheimer's has taken much of her memory, her creativity has thankfully remained.

Just over 2 years ago I introduced arts & crafts into our daily routine and I have been amazed by how much they have improved my mum's quality of life.

My mum has many creative hobbies, I have posted about how we Make Paper Flowers and our Crafty Containers on my blog.

Creative Colouring is another of her favourite pastimes!

This is something she can do without assistance ... a hobby that she can literally take to bed with her when she's tired :)

She may have forgotten how to draw a picture on her own ... 

... but she has certainly not forgotten how to colour! 

Pencil crayons are a great medium for my mum to work with ... so clean and easy to use.

Water-colour crayons are especially interesting as a little water creates a beautiful effect!

Colouring books allow my mum to use colour to express her feelings and give her a sense of personal accomplishment.

Instead of keeping my mum's creations inside her colouring book we cut out her pictures to use on hand made cards!

We also frame my mum's colourings and display them on the wall ... constant reminders for her that she has created some beautiful pictures :)

Painting and colouring are common hobbies and are excellent ways to relax. 

For people with memory problems, art is much more than just a recreational pastime, art provides a unique way for them to express themselves.

For more photos and ideas please visit my facebook page

LIKE the page to keep up to date with all our projects!

Creative Carer Facebook Page

Crafty Containers - Art Therapy for those with Alzheimer's

'Crafty Containers' is my second post ... please also have a look at my first post - 'Making Paper Flowers' 

Art Therapy has been proved to stimulate the brain, stir memories and give those with Alzheimer's a much better quality of life. 

Whether they are actually creating the art themselves or simply viewing it, art and crafts can bring joy to those with memory problems. 

I started introducing Arts & Crafts into my mum’s daily routine over two years ago. More than something to keep her occupied, our craft projects give her something to look forward to each day, reduce her agitation and keep her happy and content.

As well as making the beautiful crepe paper flowers that I shared in my first blog, we have many other creative endeavours! 

One of her favourite hobbies is covering boxes and containers … anything from margarine tubs to Pringles tubes, tea caddies & chocolate boxes!

Crafty Containers

Although complicated shapes are no longer easy for her to cover without help, she still manages boxes and tubes really well.

My mum has always loved pretty things … flowers and butterflies never fail to bring a smile to her face! 

I choose floral wrapping paper that I know she will love to work with.

We measure the container we wish to cover - either drawing round the shape or wrapping the pretty paper around it - marking the height / width with a pencil.

We use good quality gift wrap as this doesn't rip easily and PVA glue to stick the paper to the container.

Once the container is covered, my mum will decorate it with self-adhesive jewels for a bit of special sparkle :)

My mum's "crafty containers" keep her hands busy and stop her fidgeting. Measuring and cutting keeps her mind active.

She is at her happiest in our daily craft sessions!

I play her favourite 1940's / 50's music in the background and she sings along relaxed and happy ... loving every minute of creativity!

For more photos and ideas please visit my facebook page

LIKE the page to keep up to date with all our projects!

Creative Carer Facebook Page

Making Paper Flowers - Art Therapy for those with Alzheimer's

Art Therapy is a powerful tool for treating Alzheimer’s disease. Arts & Crafts won’t cure the illness, but they can stimulate the brain in a new direction.

Research has found that art allows Alzheimer’s patients to bypass language, it can trigger dormant memories and encourage conversation.

It has been proved that art can awaken patients in cognitive decline as well as lessen aggressive behaviour. 

Art Therapy has been found in many cases to lessen symptoms, increase function and improve quality of life.

By introducing Arts & Crafts into our daily routine I have found that my mum is much happier and less agitated.

Crafts have given her back a way of expressing herself and provide her with a real sense of accomplishment.

Making paper flowers is one of my mum's favourite hobbies. As her Alzheimer's progresses she is finding it difficult to do complex tasks on her own but she is still able to cut out shapes using a template and follow an example.

I provide a template for petals and leaves and she will happily sit for hours cutting out the pretty, brightly coloured shapes. She particularly enjoys covering wooden kebab skewars with long strips of green crepe paper to create the stems!

Together we glue the stamens and petals to the stems and once she's done two or three with me, she's able to carry on by herself!

She's so proud of her beautiful flowers ... and so am I!!

Somehow when my mum is immersed in her crafts she has real moments of clarity and her artistic flair re-emerges which is wonderful to see.

My mum and I both find making paper flowers a wonderful therapy! These flowers make her feel valued and useful again! 

And for me, I can relax and enjoy spending time with her being creative ... its almost like the craft-time we spent before the Alzheimer's took hold.

Creating something beautiful that we can give to others brings us so much joy ... the Doctor's surgery, Memory Clinic, friend's houses are all brightened up with pretty flowers and our home is filled with ever-lasting happy memories of time spent together! 

How to make a crepe paper flower

We find the premium quality crepe is best as it is strong so doesn't rip easily & can be stretched and curled for the petals and leaves.

The happiness that art and crafts bring can make all the difference in the life of a loved one living with Dementia.I hope my blog will be found by someone who finds it helpful and I would welcome any comments or other creative ideas to try!

www.creative-carer.com