Meaningful Care Beyond Daily Activities
Life in long-term care presents unique challenges - from adjusting to a new environment and managing cognitive changes to coping with anxiety or grief.
While recreational programming offers essential social engagement, residents may also benefit from specialized, individualized mental health support.
Art therapy bridges this gap.
Combining psychotherapy with creative expression, art therapy provides an accessible (and often enjoyable) intervention tailored to each resident’s cognitive, emotional, and physical abilities—including residents who struggle with memory or verbal expression. It goes beyond arts and crafts by focusing on therapeutic goals such as reducing distress, stimulating memory, and maintaining identity.
Who May Benefit?
Art therapy is a referral-based service for residents who require targeted, individualized support.
- Emotional Distress & Responsive Behaviours: For residents experiencing distress, frustration, or agitation that manifests as responsive behaviours.
- Cognitive Changes & Dementia: Offers cognitive stimulation, reminiscence, and non-verbal channels for self-expression.
- Communication & Aphasia: Provides an accessible outlet for residents who find verbal communication challenging.
- Isolation & Withdrawal: Supports residents who feel lonely, withdrawn, or underserved by group activities.
- Grief & Life Transitions: Helps residents process loss, illness, and changes in independence or lifestyle.
- Meaning & Purpose: Restores a sense of personal accomplishment, autonomy, and identity.
What Makes Art Therapy Different?
Art therapy is a specialized clinical service provided by a trained and experienced Art Therapist.
While recreational arts programming tends to focus on social engagement and leisure, art therapy focuses on self-expression, the creative process, and emotional wellbeing. Sessions are adapted to meet individual resident needs, abilities, interests, and goals. Whether during an individual session or group session, residents can make choices about how they participate, and support is provided according to what each person needs.
Therapeutic value may come through self-expression, conversation, emotional processing, social connection, reminiscence, cognitive engagement, or simply experiencing a sense of accomplishment—all of which can contribute to quality of life and emotional wellbeing.
Art therapy provides residents with accessible mental health expertise within a therapeutic relationship.
How It Works in Your Home
Individual and small-group services that fit within your existing care
Art therapy is provided through individual sessions, small groups, or a combination of both.
Residents are referred based on an identified need or goal.
I work collaboratively with nursing, social work, recreation, and other members of the care team.
I am proficient in PointClickCare and adaptable to other electronic health record systems to maintain clinical documentation and care plans.
Services can be adapted to meet the needs of your residents and your home.
Experience in Long-Term Care
I have provided art therapy across 13 long-term care homes over a 15-year period, through both short-term placements and ongoing contracts—including relationships lasting over 10 years. Based in North York, I am available to work with long-term care homes throughout Toronto.
Interested in Bringing Art Therapy to Your Home?
Art therapy can complement your existing recreation and programming while providing specialized therapeutic support for residents who may benefit from something different.
