A foot in the door: art therapy in the nursing home

Inclusion of art therapy in the residential nursing home and a day-care facility had positive effects on the elderly. Socialization, self-esteem, and memory retrieval were enhanced by the art experience. In addition, the staff and administrators of both the nursing home and day-care facility found art therapy to be valuable and arranged to continue the program. The funding agent for the pilot project was particularly interested in supporting a program that included an educational component, and the university recognized this program as an excellent training opportunity. The five art therapy interns gained experience in working with a population that will need increased professional services in the future, and the successful addition of part-time art therapists at the two pilot agencies will assure a continuation of intern training sites for art therapy students interested in gerontology. By developing sites for art therapy interns, we have opened the door to a method which will not only train professionals to work with older adults but will also offer job sharing between nursing homes. It has been suggested by the administrator of the nursing home in the program that we investigate the possibility of one art therapist serving two or three nursing homes on a part-time/full-time employment basis. Programs would then be affordable at most sites, and thus more people would be able to benefit from art therapy.