A special program that supervises senior citizens and teaches them new skills like art and dance is helping a population of people that often suffer from depression and loneliness.
The seniors participating in a popular painting class have enjoyed many surprising benefits from completing their art, their instructor said. One intricate collage of a couple of bears impressed even the instructor, who said that she wouldn’t have had the patience to complete it herself. Other seniors are happy that they are actually getting advice on how to complete their paintings and projects. One confessed that she used to try to paint for pleasure, but she always gave up on her project before it was finished. The class she enrolled in at the senior center taught her perseverance. Even though she’s been working on her current painting for four class sessions, she isn’t ready to let it fall by the wayside.
The painting has also been therapeutic for some of the seniors. The instructor said that when she saw certain participants only using dark colors, she was able to ask them why they were sad or upset. Some of them were shocked that she was able to tell their state of mind through their paintings, and they were able to use the work to process through their negative thoughts.
One senior said that the classes have given her a lot more confidence in her daily life. Before she enrolled in the painting class, she always wore dark colors and long sleeves due to a health problem that made one arm shorter than the other. Now, though, she loves to dress up in bright colors, and wears whatever she wants. She doesn’t care what people might think of when they see her. She only cares that she’s comfortable and feels good in what she’s wearing. She added that she was proud of herself and her painting, and thought that such a thing wouldn’t be possible since she didn’t know how to read. This proves that art can even transcend language, transmitting thoughts and feelings for everyone who participates in it. The instructor said that some seniors have even remained friends outside of the activities the center puts on, saying that they gather in groups for outings or to take pictures together.
Start enjoying the various benefits of art today by enrolling in an art class of your own. Visit SGArtClass.com to see all the different classes you can sign up for, including collage art, found art, assemblage art, mural painting, oil painting, portrait drawing, and many more. Whether you’re interested in picking up a paintbrush for the very first time or if you already have some art experience, teachers can instruct students of all different levels. Soon, you, too, will be confident that you can express your own thoughts and feelings by using art.
To read more about the special art program for senior citizen engagement, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/drawing-seniors-out-of-their-shell-with-art.