Creative Expression

Creative Expression:

During this class, members use the creative process of making art to improve a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. The classes are designed for members to work with varied art materials in a creative way. Classes include Artist Showcase – brief art history about an artist or type of art, including projects aligned to topic; Process art – use of varied art materials to create a theme based on project or idea; Crafts – use of paper, fibers, found objects, etc.

Dr. Junhong Yu reported in 2021 that artistic interventions can result in significant improvement in cognition, and at the same time improve brain health – even in a low intensity program. Professor Flavia Galassi reported in 2022 that older adults who participate in programs such as that offered in the Brite™ Wellness Program can boost their self-esteem by continuing to interact with their peers, and becoming motivated to lead more active lives.

Professor Michael Posner and his colleague, Brenda Patoine, suggest that art training can improve cognitive function and can do so by developing stronger attention networks. In their view, with sufficient focused attention, training in the arts likely yields cognitive benefits that may also lead to improvements in a range of brain functions.