Let’s Get Crafty
Remember when you were a kid, a kid who fingerpainted, crafted gifts out of popsicle sticks, and then wove potholders out of brightly colored fabric? Recall the sense of accomplishment when you ran home after school or camp and proudly presented your lanyard keychain to an adult who loved you.
Welcome back. The good news is that crafting is an ageless pleasure, both for men and women. Sometimes people who aren’t familiar with the value of crafting underestimate its benefits, which are many. Lo’Aids, a resource for daily living aids, highlights eight excellent reasons older adults (or anyone, for that matter) may reap benefits from spending some time at the craft table.
The Physical & Mental Benefits of Crafting
- Enhances mental health
- Offers a natural way to socialize with others
- Provides a feeling of accomplishment and purpose
- Builds self-confidence
- Lessens pain sensations
- Activates small motor skills
- May help decrease cognitive decline
One of the many great aspects of crafting is the variety it offers. No matter what one finds pleasure in, there’s an abundance of crafts and/or project kits available to provide hours of fun. Kits are an especially fitting option for seniors who are new to crafting. Plus, they’re convenient: Just open the box and get started.
Crafting Kits: Choices are Endless
- Older adults may love the idea of trying the Make-Your-Own Potted Felt Succulents kit by Hapinest. The set makes four felt plant arrangements. It comes complete with 21 leaves, 4 pots, cardboard inserts, chalks, and stickers. (Hint: You might complete this one and then put it aside for a fun and different holiday gift.)
- Etsy, the global online marketplace, tempts crafters with some more unusual offerings. For example, there are beginner-level whittling kits that can yield the patient crafter a cool-looking animal. The project often consists of basswood and driftwood. Many beginner-level quilling kits are also available on Etsy for less than $20. Quilling is the art of cutting paper into long thin strips, rolling and pinching the pieces into different shapes, and then gluing the shapes together to form decorative art. For tips, watch this YouTube tutorial.
- Fat Brain Toys offers a pretty, easy-to-do project— a mosaic sun. The crafter follows a template (almost like a jigsaw puzzle) and then glues the stones into their proper positions. When completed, the item is framed, and the finished project is sealed with plaster (included). The size is 8” x 8.” The cost is $30.
Crafting with Your Caregiver: Sharing Fun Activities
Successful home care is about people. Our reliable, competent, dedicated in-home caregivers at our Wheeling, WV office love sharing activities with their clients. One of our primary services, companion care, is perfectly suited for activities like this.
At Visiting Angels Upper Ohio Valley, we pride ourselves on helping older adults live safely and happily in their favorite place—home. If you or a loved one needs in-home care, schedule a free, in-home consultation. Or, if you prefer, give us a call at (304) 214-5550.