Healthy ageing: you may wonder what Painting-by-Numbers has to do with it. Painting, and in particular using Paint by Numbers kits, is not only the perfect pastime for art lovers with time on their hands, but also proves to positively stimulate bodies and minds that have been affected by age.
A wealth of studies have shown this type of activity has positive effects on our seniors’ mental and physical health. It is especially helpful for people with degenerative diseases that come with age, such as Dementia, Alzheimer or Parkinson, or physical limitations like arthritis. So why not treat your elderly loved ones with a Dare to Paint kit?
Painting by Numbers: a pastime that boosts mood, creativity and self-esteem!
Every hobby has great potential for the health of our loved ones. Even more so once we get older. Our taste for activities rises as we have more free time on our hands.
Nourishing creativity is important at any age, but becomes even more crucial in the golden years. Creating art brings joy and encourage creative thinking. Thinking outside the box is a great way to break away from everyday routines, while creating arts increases the brain's release of dopamine and improves the artist's self-esteem. As studies show, "engaging in any sort of visual expression results in the reward pathway in the brain being activated", regardless of your skills, so the pleasurable experience and confidence boost is pretty much guaranteed.
Colours are well-known to boost our mood, but according to research, coloring inside a shape - specifically a pre-drawn geometric mandala design - is more effective in boosting mood than coloring on a blank paper or even coloring inside a square shape. So painting, especially using Paint by Numbers kits, where you paint inside variety of pre-defined shapes, is the ideal artwork for senior aspiring artists in search of a new hobby to start at home.
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Find 1000's of designs on www.DaretoPaint.ie
It combats feelings of loneliness and loss of independence.
Elderlies living alone are particularly vulnerable to depression brought on by solitude and a loss of independence. Suffering from loneliness and stress is associated with poorer physical and mental health and overall quality of life for older people. But according to studies, seniors who participate in creative arts experience lower levels of depression and loneliness and are more positive in general. Art practice as part of a group can also be a welcomed occasion for social interactions. Not only can Dare to Paint’s Paint by Numbers kits help bring out the artist in your elderly loved ones, but they can also boost their sense of belonging.
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Find 1000's of designs on www.DaretoPaint.ie
The simpler the task, the greater the sense of achievement.
Painting by Numbers is one of the easiest yet most fulfilling forms of art. We cannot think of a better way to help seniors engage their minds in a creative way.
As we grow older, our preference for simpler tasks and easy instructions increases. Ageing can lead to hearing and vision loss that often causes negative feelings and stress for seniors. Focussing on paint work can help elderlies to better cope with these issues and provide positive outlets for their frustration.
While a young person can paint for hours on end, an older person might find it trickier and it might negatively impact their sense of achievement and self-esteem. That’s where Paint by Numbers comes in. It’s easier than painting from scratch. All you have to do is, fill up the numbered spaces with the correct numbered paint colour. Creating something by themselves to completion can provide an invaluable sense of achievement for seniors and will definitely boost their self-confidence.
Plus, Dare to Paint kits come with all that is needed to hang the canvasses on any wall – instructions, three brushes, numbered paints, reference picture, wooden frame… It’s all there.
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Find 1000's of designs on www.DaretoPaint.ie
A calming effect that improves the mood, reduces stress, anxiety and risk of depression.
Spending time on a Paint by Numbers project can be beneficial to someone's well being in many ways. Thanks to its calming effects, it can help reduce stress and confusion, and lower the risk of depression. Art is such a fantastic way of reducing stress. Results of a 2016 study published in the Journal of the American Art Therapy Association found that just 45 minutes of creative activity can reduce stress, regardless of artistic experience or talent. Basically, whether you’re a Van Gogh or not, art can significantly reduce Cortisol, the stress-related hormone in your body. And focussing on tiny details even allows for meditative concentration. Painting By Numbers can also go beyond helping someone's mental state. It can help restore essential cognitive and physical functions too.
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Find 1000's of designs on www.DaretoPaint.ie
Enhanced cognitive function and memory to combat degenerative diseases.
Painting by Numbers challenges older people to stimulate their senses, parts of their body and mind they don’t use as often. Practicing a new art form, such as Painting by Numbers, encourages them to think differently and become sharper. It can enhance their thinking skills and can retrieve neural connections that may have gone lost due to aging. Organising and identifying colours, numbers, shapes and other visual details, not just helps improve their focus, concentration and attention span, it also strengthens problem solving and organisational skills, and coordination between the brain and the hands.
In addition, the process enriches cognitive memory functions and can sometimes even trigger previously forgotten memories. Painting might even remind the elderly of their younger years when they were practicing the same activity. Boosting greater recalls is one way to overcome and reverse the symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer. Evidence, both in research on the subject and anecdotal examples support, is also growing that engaging the brain in creative ways can have positive effects on persons suffering from dementia and sometimes help stave off or even reverse its effects.
Watch the documentary film, I Remember Better When I Paint (below ), to discover more positive benefits.
Enhanced Motor Skills and Pain Relief
When older people practice skills like painting, knitting or drawing, they are challenged to physically exercise their hands and arms through movement. In doing so, seniors improve their physical ability (painting helps reduce frailty, improve muscle coordination, enhance blood flow and build better dexterity over time ).
Painting by Numbers practice can also help seniors to deal with pain more efficiently and reduce inflammation in case of Arthritis. Focussing on creativity and the task ahead is also helpful to take their mind away from any chronic pains. In cases of Parkison's, patients feel more relaxed, therefore tremors decrease. Because painting introduces novel motions that are not part of everyday life, the body can no longer operate on autopilot, which also decreases the likelihood of the temporary, involuntary inability to move, called freezing.
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Find 1000's of designs on www.DaretoPaint.ie
Creating new memories and a tribute to cherish for life
Our seniors might need some company... If granny and grandpa are quite old, they might not be able to distinguish certain colours. Studies show we slowly lose this capacity over time. In that case, Painting by Numbers can become a family activity! Invite the grandkids to take part in the experience, spend some quality time together and create a wonderful keepsake together! Dare to Paint kits come with a pre-stretched canvas on a frame, so any Paint by Numbers painting can continue to be treasured for years on end.
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So there you have it, Painting by Numbers can be very rewarding for seniors – The fun of creating can promote healthy and positive feelings, enhance physical and mental abilities and a better quality of life.
Given all these benefits, why not help the seniors in your life explore their creative side, with a Dare to Paint Paint by Numbers kit!
Choosing the right Paint by Numbers for an elderly family member or retiree
Dare to Paint has over 1000 designs to choose from. Pick a Paint by Numbers design that will remind them of a holiday, a historical moment, one of their favourite hobbies, a furry companion or a childhood memory. For spiritual seniors, Dare to Paint also offers a large range of religious themes. When picking the design, keep in mind that seniors might need a photograph that is large, clean and in high definition. To be on the safe side, select a bigger canvas and have some magnifying glasses handy.
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Find 1000's of designs on www.DaretoPaint.ie
Visit Dare to Paint's website on www.daretopaint.ie and follow them on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates.
You can also contact them via email on [email protected] or call them on 01 8245 783.
