Communicating through art and color

Starhopper

My mom has dementia and as you know it's a struggle to manage emotions around it. Last year she moved into a nursing home, which was hard at first, but it's actually been the best thing for her and me. Since she's living there, I've found new ways to communicate with her as she can't have a conversation like she used to. We've been making digital art together and it engages her, and reconnects the two of us to creating something meaningful. Have you found new ways to communicate or rituals that work for you?

Peonie60

Hello Starhopper, I would be interested to know more about how you make art with your mom. Are you using an app on a tablet or some other way? My mom was an artist for Hallmark and I would really like to see if this could open her up to something new.

As for new ways to connect, our routine is to take walks and talk about what we see. It’s pretty basic but she is absolutely living in the moment. She also loves hearing me read to her for 15-20 minutes at a time. Her memory is very short so I read from the same book every time, but she really enjoys it.

Starhopper

Hi Peonie60 - Yes, I've been using an iPad with Adobe Fresco because I have a monthly Adobe subscription. I've heard of Procreate as a cheaper option, but have not tried it myself. Typically I will program the color swatches and the kind of brush strokes. There are brushes that mimic watercolor, pastel, charcoal, pencil, and so many that it's best to "favorite' one or two so they are easy to access. I find that with my mom she likes to grab things, including my hands, so I'll have limited mobility when working with her, and any reprogramming I can do makes the process easier when working with her live and in the moment.!