Art Therapy Comes to Hearth

By Kathy MacDonald, from the 2009 Spring Newsletter.

Karin Mensing, art therapy intern from Lesley University, works with Ruggles resident Eric on a collage.

We are very excited to be able to offer Art Therapy at Hearth for the first time. Karin Mensing has a B.A. in Art Therapy and is currently a first year Art Therapy intern from Lesley University where she is a graduate student in the Expressive Therapies program. Since September, Karin has been with us two days each week, working one day at Uphams Corner ElderHouse and one day at Ruggles Assisted Living. She works with a number of our elders and facilitates an art therapy group at both locations.

Art Therapy enables people to express themselves through art. It has helped to enhance our residents’ self- esteem and self-confidence and the art groups have increased socialization.

Residents say they really look forward to meeting with Karin. They like learning different mediums including collage, drawing, ceramic tile mosaics, and others. They have also especially enjoyed activities with holiday themes, such as making holiday cards and plaster Christmas ornaments. December 18th was declared “Edible Arts and Crafts Day” at Uphams Corner ElderHouse. Karin and the residents spent the morning making and decorating Christmas cookies.

Later that day they assembled and decorated two gingerbread houses. Karin will be working at Hearth until May 2009, and Hearth looks forward to having Expressive Therapy interns from Lesley University at Hearth in the future.
 

Kathy MacDonald is the Program Social Worker at Uphams Corner ElderHouse and is one of the Social Workers at Ruggles Assisted Living.