craft ideas for a care home?

Question

I work in a care home with 16 residents and i want to get them makin thing can anyone suggest some easy craft ideas for older people with very shaky hands?

Answer 1

The Crayola modeling compound is wonderful for elderly people to use. It's softer than regular clay, so it's not as hard for them to work, and it's great therapy for their hands and minds, plus it's easy to clean up.

Ask around and see if any of them have done a craft or hobby in the past that you can try with them. They may get a kick out of being able to demonstrate their skills.

You could make books with them. They cut their favorite pictures out of a magazine and use them to decorate the pages of a construction paper book.

You can also look for the following books, perhaps in your local library:
Crafts for the Elderly by Elaine Gould and Loren Gould

Arts and Crafts for the Elderly: A Resource Book for Activity Directors in Healthcare Facilities by Evelyn Lowman

Craft to Heal: Soothing Your Soul with Sewing, Painting, and Other Pastimes by Nancy Monson

Answer 2

Check the web site of the Activity Director Association of your state (or any other state for that matter). There are lots of ideas that you might be able to adapt. (do a google or whatever for "activity director association"

Here are a few ideas I gleaned from a bit of research online.
You could buy the tiny clay flower pots and have them paint them. Then decorate with stickers or stencils perhaps.

Make No sew Fleece blankets. There are instructions at different sites online.
http://tinyurl.com/aen6e
http://www.womenbygrace.com/home006.html

You could weave potholders. The in and out repetitive motion should not be too difficult, but you would need the base loom. I'm talking about the metal children's looms that one can buy at craft stores.

Weave placemats. You could do this with foam which would be sturdier for unsteady hands. Just make slits about an inch apart (don't forget to leave a border around the entire piece). You weave in and out of the slits.

I also saw a weaving kit at S&S crafts, but of course this would be costly for a group. http://tinyurl.com/ywsbue This site does have a number of craft kits and other things some of which would be suitable for seniors.

There is a place online that has crafts every month, but it is not free. You have to subscribe. ActivityConnection.com

I saw this one at www.wiredseniors.com. Buy two placemats. Sew them together and turn inside out, add a ribbon for a handle and you have a bag you can attach to a wheelchair or grocery cart or wherever needed.

Answer 3

I would suggest cards too. There are packs of 50 cards & envelopes by Royal & Langnickel which are as low as £5.00 a pack. They are all the same price so the the biggest card 5"x7" is the best value. Packs come in white, cream, matte silver or gold, assorted pastel and now in opalescent with matching envelopes.

The old way of sticking the front of a used card onto a new card never looked very good. It is better to cut out elements of an old card and mount them onto a piece of coloured card to give an edged border then stick to a blank card. Try your local printers for coloured offcuts of paper and card and save any from the waste bin. Even the tiniest pieces can be used .3D mounts are cheap small squares of double sided adhesive with which you can raise an embellishment on the card. Use peel offs for greetings such as Happy Birthday, they are inexpensive or use dot writing. Print up verses on paper inserts or stamp a greeting directly inside the card.

Dot writing - write the greeting using simple unjoined letters. Do not try to write in a straight line place the letters a bit upa and down. Then with the same or a different coloured pen make a small ball at the all line ends of each letter. Looks surprisingly good.

Warning don't make up cards in non standard sizes and then go to a shop looking for envelopes. Get the envelopes first. C6 and C5 sizes for A6 and A5 cards will be much less expensive than unusual sizes. Craft shops also stock clear bags for selling individual cards in. Small packs are expensive so if you are making a lot see if you can find a bigger pack at your local commercial packaging company.

Answer 4

Here's an idea we just completed and it went over very well. Start collecting old greeting cards. If they are able, have them cut out the pictures on the cards. On a placket board with simple Elmer's glue or decoupage glue, glue the back of the photo on the board and then cover with more glue. Add buttons or any other small items to the board. You can buy colored tape to frame.

It's a fun activity they can all participate in and they loved sharing stories about who gave them the cards etc. We hung ours in a common area for all to enjoy. Give it a try!

Answer 5

craft ideas care home

Answer 6

You might also want to check out this page at my website for ideas:

http://glassattic.com/polymer/disabilities.htm
(...click on the category called *Seniors & Assisted Living, Stroke, etc.*...)

(My site is primarily about polymer clay and there are suggestions for using it for seniors or those with physical difficulties --or an air-drying clay instead -- BUT it also has some good links for other places you might look for similar activities too).


Good luck!

Diane B.

Answer 7

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Answer 8

How about cards, my grandmother loves to make them.... And fr the elderly that have arthritic hands you can pre cut everything for them... which would make it easy for hem to assemble. I know how much my grandma love to give as much as receieve homemade cards... Below are some site with easy card patterns... You can buy pre-made white cards at Walmart for just over $5.00 with 50 cards and envelopes in them :-) You can even make quick cards with Stickers! Hav fun, it is so sweet you are doing this! They will LOVE you for it!

Answer 9

How about latch hook? Its really fun and very easy! They have kits at the walmart craft department or at Joanne etc.

Answer 10

Www.cardinspirations.co.uk