Spark your creativity this season with these four activities!

Spring is full of light, color, floral scents, and nature. All of these beautiful aspects of a transitional season is the perfect inspiration to spark the creativity that was hiding throughout the winter. At The Haven at North Hills Personal Care and Memory Care Facility in Pittsburgh, PA, we strongly encourage our residents to take advantage of this new energy and incorporate it into their spring routines!

Our expert team provides plenty of organized daily activities to keep our residents entertained. Here are some of our favorite creative activities for you to try with your loved one:

Painting

Painting is a great way to ground into your surroundings and find beauty in the little things. This relaxing art form is a great way to express oneself without saying a word. Studies show that painting boosts cognitive function in various areas of the brain, and enhances communication and social interaction. The best part about painting is that there’s no right or wrong way to do it! Simply let the brush stroke the canvas and let their creativity take the wheel. Painting is a great bonding opportunity for you and your loved one, as well.

Here’s some ideas of what to paint to get you started:

• Picture a field of flowers and paint what you envision.
• Paint a happy memory.
• Paint your favorite animal.

Listening to Music

Music is a powerful tool for creativity. Listening to music can positively transform our moods and take us to a happy memory just by hearing a specific song. Studies show that listening to music can relieve stress, agitation, and increase emotional connection. In fact, at The Haven, music therapy is an important part of our research-backed memory care program.

Listening to music doesn’t have to take a lot of time, either. It can be something that you do actively or passively. For example, you can listen to music passively throughout your day as you enjoy company or navigate tasks. Or you can enjoy music actively and sing and dance along to whatever is playing!

Solving Puzzles

Jigsaw puzzles are a great activity to sit down and complete by yourself or with a loved one. Studies show that solving jigsaw puzzles increases stimulation and cognitive function to the brain. It’s always a good idea to have a couple of your favorite puzzles available to pull out and work on when creativity sparks. Jigsaw puzzles are also a fun item that you can swap and trade with other residents and friends to foster more connection.

Pro tip: A great gift for your loved one is a custom puzzle created with a family photo to evoke happy feelings!

Enjoying the Outdoors

It’s no surprise that a lot of the great artists, past and present, find their creative spark from being outside in nature. Because our memory care community is located in Pittsburg, we’ve been anxiously waiting for winter to reach its end so we can get back outside! As we enter spring, it gives us the perfect opportunity to take advantage of a sunny day, get some fresh air, and enjoy our surroundings.

Here are some relaxing things to do outside with your loved one:

• Feed the birds.
• Take a comfortable walk.
• Simply sit and enjoy the sun!

Incorporating more creativity into your day or week has amazing benefits like reduced stress, anxiety, increased cognitive function, and brain stimulation. We’re so excited to enter a new season and get creative with our residents here at The Haven.

To learn more about our residency or schedule a tour at The Haven, contact our friendly team today.

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