55 Art Projects for Dementia Care
When John shared with us his concern that Heather had a cognitive impairment, which was later confirmed, I wanted to find a way to support John and spend time with Heather. Recognizing Heather’s flair for color and design, I suggested we capitalize on her talents by planning Friday art sessions.
We started in the fall of 2022. Our initial Fridays together were so easy to plan. Heather was keen to try her hand at anything I proposed. We painted with acrylics, made stained glass mosaic mirrors, wreaths, and beaded sun catchers. Our art session lasted hours every Friday.
Gradually, with each passing month, it became increasingly difficult to come up with ideas that were both straightforward and captivating for Heather’s artistic sensibilities. Projects involving intricate steps were no longer an option.
The art depicted in the posts that follow illustrate Heather’s rapid and steady decline.
I continue to hold out hope that Heather will show even the smallest spark of interest in creating art. I gather markers and paper, then sit beside her. I pass her a marker, but when she looks puzzled, I remove the cap and gently place it in her hand. Slowly, the tip of the marker Read More
In the summer of 2022, Heather and I began a tradition of creating art together every Friday. Over the following months, we explored a variety of projects—from painting and pottery to crafting door wreaths and even making a stained-glass mirror. As time passed, however, it became clear that I needed to simplify our activities. Heather Read More
While preparing for my day with Heather this week, I found myself struggling to come up with an idea when I reminded myself that I just had a book of art ideas published. A year ago, we tried the “Flower Painting” project on page 133 in Fridays with Heather: 55 Art Projects for Dementia Care. Read More
Last week was discouraging. I don’t usually give up easily, but I found myself questioning whether engaging Heather in art was still possible. Despite some encouragement, she only managed to draw a few reluctant lines with a marker. As I prepared for today’s visit, I had an “aha” moment. Last week, I had presented Heather Read More
Six months ago, Heather and I had a delightful time fingerpainting together. It was a relaxing way to create art, free from the pressure of specific outcomes. Given how stress-free the experience was, I decided to invite Heather to fingerpaint with me again today. We started by selecting a few colours and placing a small Read More
A few weeks ago, I had resigned myself to the notion that our cherished art days were behind us. Heather seemed disinterested, and I feared our creative journey had come to an end. After a brief hiatus, however, I decided to give it another try. To my delight, Heather’s passion for art has been rekindled, Read More
This week, I hoped that Heather would be interested in decorating the birds she painted orange last week. When I arrived, I could tell she was in good spirits as she greeted me with a big smile—a good sign. After lunch, we moved to the back deck, our usual spot for art projects. I laid Read More
When I found a package of eight wooden birds at my local Dollar Store, I thought Heather might enjoy painting them. I poured orange paint into a small saucer and handed Heather a brush with a large brush end. To my surprise, Heather began painting one of the birds, carefully covering it entirely and even Read More
Last week I was encouraged by Heather’s willingness to create a small drawing using a few marker colours. Today I brought some new brightly coloured markers hoping she would be interested in drawing again. I sat beside her and drew a few simple flowers while she watched with some interest. When I handed her a Read More
Heather was in a happy mood today. She was receptive to a walk around the corner and a stroll in the back garden. It marked a promising start to the day.While it had been a month since Heather was willing to even look at art materials, I decided test the waters. I handed Heather a Read More
