September 29, 2016
Ivy Lambrecht, 90, tries her hand at painting a piece of wood during the Fairview Health Complex’s long-term care units new art expression program. Like so many of her fellow residents, Lambrecht was surprised at how much fun and easy it was to get into the art projects.
Story by Kirsten Goruk
You’re never too old to learn something new and for some of the residents in long-term care at the Fairview Health Complex, they’ve had the opportunity to create and explore thanks to a new art expression program.
“It was nice know that I could do it. You don’t know until you try,” says Ivy Lambrecht, 90, who among other things, was able to paint a beautiful sunset onto a block of wood.
Together with her fellow residents, Lambrecht took part in the art program, which launched in February and offered weekly classes with new projects each week. The creative minds behind the program were Megan Broadhead, a fourth-year University of Alberta student and Samantha Frey, a fourth-year University of Regina student.
As part of their studies in recreation therapy, the pair took part in a four-month long placement at the long-term care unit. Overseeing the art expression program was a huge part of their time there.
“The idea is to use art as more of an intervention to promote change. The benefits are an increase in positive emotions, improved self-esteem, lessened feelings of isolation and giving residents a more normalized feeling,” says Frey.
“We wanted the residents to explore their self-expression. A lot of them hadn’t done art before or thought they couldn’t do it due to their age or some of the barriers they were facing. We wanted to challenge that and open up a new way for them to explore recreation.”
Each week featured a new project; they made ceramic coasters, glass beaded bowls, wood block paintings and sun catchers. The final project, the tree of life, a cut out of wood now hangs on the wall and residents now and in the future have the chance to decorate their own leaf.
“With the Tree of Life project I wanted to give the residents something so that they could feel that they have a legacy at the long-term care unit. I thought it would be neat and give them something to feel proud of, so that maybe ten or however many years down the road, we can look back at their contribution to the tree and remember them,” says Broadhead.
When the program wrapped up at the end of March, residents and staff celebrated with an art exhibit. Family and friends were invited and the afternoon included snacks, some wine, dessert and chance to show off all of the artwork created. Some art was even for sale through silent auction, with all the proceeds going back into supporting art programming.
Martin Bartholet, 91, felt that his painting of a river at sunrise was his best piece.
“I thought it was pretty good. I enjoyed all of it. The painting and being creative, we don’t mind doing that. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what you’re supposed to do, but the staff help and it all turns out,” Bartholet says.
Residents are already asking about when the next art program will start and Broadhead and Frey plan to brainstorm some ideas to leave in the hands of the unit’s staff.
