Art4Life
®
A Dignity-Promoting, Expressive Arts Initiative for
Those in Isolation or Living with Alzheimer's Disease,
Cognitive, Mental, Developmental or Other Impairments
Expressive art isn't just a picture... it's a story!
Art is a form of medicine and research studies have validated the importance of it in care settings and in every day life. Art may help decrease depressive and anxiety symptoms, irritability and agitation while boosting self-esteem. Art may also help lessen and offset the need for psychotropic drugs and its costs.
About Our Program
This specialized art training is designed to provide the mechanisms of how art can be a therapeutic modality, but with attention to art mediums and techniques best used with diverse populations.
The goal of Thriving4Life's art program and training is to preserve dignity, allow opportunities to get creative, and support personal identity, purpose, confidence, and autonomy. We all have a life story filled with experiences, thoughts, and emotions. Art has the ability to foster self-expression and give a voice—even when words become limited.
From watercolors, colored pencils to collage and an array of other materials, this educational training is a combination of listening, learning, and a hands-on approach in how to start and sustain a successful activities program that greatly differs from art and crafts.
Who's It For?
Everyone! You don't have to have a diagnosis in order to benefit from creating art. Recognizing that art therapists may be limited in various care communities, Thriving4Life offers professional and lay caregivers access into how certain art supplies, directives, and interventions can work for individuals in isolation, with memory impairment, autism, developmental challenges, and other conditions.
What Populations Use the Program?
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Residential
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Independent, Assisted Living and Dementia Communities
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Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF); Rehabilitation/Psychiatric Hospitals; Behavioral Health Centers
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Adult Day Centers
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Senior Centers
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Community Organizations such as: Museums, Houses of Worship, Community Centers
