A lot of us remember spending many hours as children with coloring books and crayons. As we got older, we put our colored pencils away for other things we considered more important or entertaining. However, coloring is beneficial to people of all ages, and coloring books are being used as tools to help reduce stress. Our Cornaga Alternative Care Setting (ACS)* has been using coloring as a therapeutic tool for years with its fun program, which is very popular among participants.
Coloring keeps your brain sharp
In addition, the relaxation that coloring provides lowers the activity of a part of the brain involved in controlling emotion affected by stress.
The Cornaga ACS coloring program is led by program assistant Gennadiy Kreyngold (pictured above), who introduced adult coloring into the center’s regular schedule. Participants have fully embraced the activity and look forward to it. They are not only using their crayons to color simple pictures—they are creating books filled with their own artwork. Some especially enthusiastic participants have even asked Gennadiy to give them extra pages to color at home.
Coloring is for everyone.
Gennadiy also helps tailor the activity for participants with Alzheimer’s, other forms of dementia and memory problems by using soft music and a calm, quiet environment. This contributes to participants’ creativity and relaxation. Coloring in this controlled, intentional environment holds the attention of even the most unfocused individuals. This program demonstrates the calming, stress relieving, and anxiety reducing effects of coloring, as well as the engagement and excitement coloring can generate in older adults. Ultimately, everyone can find a version of coloring that they love that also contributes positively to their health.
*An Alternative Care Setting (ACS) is an option for those PACE participants who prefer a smaller, more intimate setting to receive on-site socialization, social services, personal care services,therapeutic recreation and meals. Other center-based services, such as primary care physician services, nursing and rehabilitation are offered at our PACE Centers.
H3329_2019_BLOGColoring Approved MMDDYYYY
Pending CMS and DOH approval
Last updated July 26, 2019