Art Therapy For Older Adults: Mental Health Effects Of Working With An Art Therapist

Many older adults experience mental health challenges, with loneliness, depression, and anxiety being common among this population today. Talk therapy is often the first recommended treatment for mental health conditions, but older adults may not always be able or willing to pursue this type of care. In such cases, research suggests that a range of non-pharmacological interventions may help improve mental health in older adults, including group art therapy.

Why older adults may face mental health challenges

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 14% of older adults (60+) worldwide live with a mental health condition. Older adults often develop mental health challenges as a result of experiencing common life changes, like retirement or the death of a spouse. Loneliness is common among this population as well, which may exacerbate other challenges. Physical health problems, like heart disease, chronic pain, or decreased mobility, can also contribute to mental health conditions like depression.

Common mental health challenges facing older adults: depression, dementia, and others

Older adults tend to face certain, specific mental health challenges due to their age and phase of life. A few of the most common examples are outlined below.

Depression

Many factors can contribute to depression in older adults. Some examples include major life events, stress, medical conditions, sleep problems, social isolation, and limitations that make engaging in daily activities difficult.

Dementia

Dementia is an umbrella term for disorders that affect cognitive abilities like memory, thinking, problem-solving, and reasoning. A person with dementia is likely to experience a range of emotions in response to their diagnosis, including fear, shock, and grief. Particularly without proper support and care, these may develop into depression and anxiety. Dementia symptoms themselves can also contribute to challenges like anxiety in some cases, since dementia often causes confusion and agitation.

Other mental health challenges

According to the Behavioral Health Among Older Adults: Results from the 2021 and 2022 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health, one in eight older adults has a mental illness, and about one in 11 had a substance use disorder in the last year. Older adult women may be more likely than men to have a mental illness, while men are more likely to have a substance use disorder specifically. This survey also reports that only 46% of people in this age group with a mental illness received treatment during the study period, indicating a significant care gap. 

Why mental health is often overlooked in older adults

Why mental health is often overlooked in older adults is a complex problem with many potential contributing factors. First, primary care physicians are likely to prioritize physical health over mental health—particularly in older patients whose physical health needs may be more complex. Older adults may also be less likely to want to talk about their mental health to their doctor or family members due to the stigma surrounding mental health, or because they don’t want to be a burden. 

Despite these challenges, effective mental health care is available, and loved ones of older adults may help them receive it. Mental health is a key determinant of overall healthy aging, and promoting good mental health may help older adults lead fulfilling and meaningful lives.

What is art therapy, and how can an art therapist help older adults?

Traditional treatments like antidepressant medication and talk therapy may be used to treat depression and other mental health challenges in those 60+, but other options may be effective as well. Art therapy has been recognized as a valid mental health intervention since the late 1930s.

Art therapy involves the use of creative mediums (drawing, writing, making music, dancing, etc.) under the guidance of a trained provider to help a client process emotions, engage in self-expression, and improve their mental health. According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy with a trained art therapist can have many potential benefits. For example, it may improve sensorimotor and cognitive functions, boost self-esteem and self-awareness, and help reduce distress. Art therapy can engage the body, mind, and spirit in ways that other forms of therapy may not, and it can also be an alternate form of communication for those who can’t find the words to express how they are feeling or ask for help. 

What does an art therapist do?

Art therapists are mental health professionals who are trained in psychological theory as well as how to use the creative process and various forms of creative arts to help a person cope with mental health challenges. To practice, art therapists must have at least a master’s degree and a special credential as a registered or board-certified art therapist. Different states may have varying or additional requirements for professionals in this field.

The potential benefits of art therapy for older adults

The goal of art therapy is to typically improve overall functioning and well-being. Some research suggests that it may also impact physical health by encouraging health-promoting behaviors and reducing stress, which may help prevent or slow the progression of some physical health conditions like cardiovascular disease.

The creative expression in art therapy can also promote healthy aging by helping older adults develop positive emotions and a sense of control. Research suggests that positive emotions may have a positive impact on the immune system, potentially triggering a response in the brain that tells the immune system to produce more beneficial cells. Using various materials and colors to create art may also stimulate areas of the brain responsible for forming new brain cells.

The social factor of group art therapy in particular can also be beneficial for older adults, helping combat loneliness and isolation that many experience. Social engagement in older adults may positively impact health and even reduce mortality.

New research on the possible benefits of group art therapy for older adults

Group art therapy sessions can have significant benefits for mental health in older adults. A recent meta-analysis that included 39 studies from 21 countries suggests that group senior arts therapy interventions reduced anxiety and depression to a degree that was comparable to the effects of traditional treatment, like talk therapy, physical activity, and/or antidepressants.

Other types of art interventions 

The study mentioned above also suggests that these benefits were consistent across multiple modes of creating art, including music, dance, painting, sculpture, creative writing, attending concerts, and making films. To researchers, this suggests that the positive feelings of creating and experiencing projects of musical and visual arts together likely contributed to the mental health benefits in those who participated in this study.

Does the setting for art therapy for older adults matter?

Researchers suspect that art making in a group setting can have an overall benefit for most seniors. That said, older adults in this study who lived in care homes saw a more significant improvement in depression symptoms than those who did not.

Finding art therapy programs for an older adult in your life

Research suggests that group art therapy sessions can be helpful for many older adults, so many caregivers and loved ones of individuals aged 60+ may be wondering how to find this type of care. Remember that group art therapy is not the same as an art class, since it’s led by a licensed and trained mental health professional. Looking for programs led by this type of professional can be critical to helping your loved one maximize the benefits of this form of therapy.

If your loved one is in a nursing home or other care facility, you might talk to the staff about any seniors art therapy programs they have available. For seniors who do not live in a care home, finding group art therapy with a qualified professional can be a little more challenging. To find any options in your area, you can use the therapist locator tool on the American Art Therapy Association’s website or talk to your loved one’s primary care provider. They may be able to direct you to a social worker or another professional who can help you get your loved one enrolled in a program. 

Other mental health support options for older adults

Older adults may be hesitant to ask for help with their mental health, making many unlikely to get the support they need. If you’re concerned about the mental health of an older adult in your life, you might talk to them about how they are feeling and gently encourage them to get help—perhaps even connecting them with a mental health professional yourself if they’re open to it.

If you’re unable to find group art therapy programs for older adults in your area, you might consider connecting your older loved one with a traditional talk therapist. If it’s hard for them to travel to and from in-person appointments, they might benefit from the convenience of online therapy instead. If you’re a caregiver for an older adult, you might also benefit from the emotional support an in-person or online therapist can provide.

With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can attend therapy sessions from the comfort of home or anywhere you have a reliable internet connection. Most people who sign up can be matched with a provider in as little as 48 hours, and you can change therapists at any time for no additional cost. 

Research suggests that online therapy can be a beneficial option for many older adults. One meta-analysis suggests that “several studies demonstrated significant improvement in depressive or anxiety symptoms” in older adults who received this type of mental health care.

Takeaway

Older adults may be hesitant to seek traditional treatment for mental health challenges, but new research suggests that other approaches to treatment may be just as effective. Group art therapy with a trained art therapist is one example. It may help older adults express themselves without words, make social connections that can address loneliness, and experience reduced symptoms of conditions like anxiety and depression.