Unlocking Neil’s love of art with art therapy
Art therapy and painting plays a huge and very important role for 74 year old budding artist, Neil, but it hasn’t always been that way. Neil’s journey with mental health issues helped unlock his love of art, and it now means the world to him.
Art therapy is just one of our aged care activities that gives Neil, a resident at a Whiddon aged care home, purpose and helps him to relax, connect with others and feel a real sense of accomplishment. His masterpieces are impressive and are enjoyed not only by Neil, but by other residents, staff and visitors to the care home.
Watch Neil’s Story
[youtube title=”Neil's Art Video” video=”-0a8J9d9Y4g” autohide=”2″ color=”red” controls=”1″ iv_load_policy=”1″ theme=”dark” quality=”default” schemaorg_uploaddate=”2017-04-20″ schemaorg_name=”Neil's Art Video” schemaorg_thumbnail=”616″ schemaorg_description=”Brendan: Neil has been with us here at Whiddon for quite a number of years now and he actually used to live here with his wife. Who his quite devoted to and spend a lot of time with his wife.
Jane: That’s nice and firm now. Alright, pull up a pew.
Brendan: Neil has got a long mental health history. He has a mental health diagnosis and he hasn't always been a painter, that painting journey was discovered along the way, quite by a chance.
Jane: See how it’s a bit taller. Maybe we could bring him up a bit higher.
Brendan: We've really been able to use his art to sort of – to bring him back into his usual patterns again. That's been a really wonderful thing for Neil.
Neil: They said we’ll have art classes and I said beauty we’ll go and do it.
Brendan: So we've been able to concentrate on his art and really bring that back in to the – really make a big –major focus on his life as a daily activity for him to help him through this difficult time in his life.
Neil: I find it quite relaxing.
Brendan: So and it really is not just a team approach here at Whiddon but there's other people also having input into that and learning and growing from that process of relationship based care and how important it is for behaviors. They’re really keen to see how we use the art to help Neil on his journey.
Jane: I’ve decided to keep working on this fellow and try and bulk him up a bit okay.
Neil: Yeah right.
Jane: Neils’ done…
Neil: Just look around.
Jane: We’ve done scenes and animals and birds. What haven’t we done?
Brendan: There is purpose in it, there is something in it and a sense of achievement and just when Neil comes back and it's framed and – he goes around everybody and shows all the staff and explains what is and he's even gifted some his artwork to people, you know, things that – photographs of people they’ve brought in and actually I have one at my wall at home. Yeah, which is beautiful, yeah.
Neil: I love doing it.
Jane: Neil is very passionate about his art. He’s the first one here and the last one to leave.” button_layout=”default” button_theme=”default” button_subscriber_count=”default” extended_widget_opts-youtube_responsive-6=”Array”]
Neil loves attending art classes and is quite often the first to arrive and the last to leave.
For staff, seeing Neil express himself through painting and experience such joy and achievement is incredibly rewarding. Care staff like Jane have supported Neil to have art and painting as a focus in his life, encouraged him to grow his skills, try new things and celebrate his work.
Neil’s artwork is proudly displayed around the care home; in the offices of many staff members, in his own and other resident’s rooms, and many staff have even been gifted pieces that now have pride of place in their own homes.
Art therapy has shown to boost wellbeing. It allows for creative expression, can build self-esteem and reduce anxiety, stress and depression. It can also help to improve cognition and physical capability. For Neil, it has made a huge difference and has helped him with his journey. Art therapy is just one of the aged care activities we offer, learn more about our creative ageing programs.
