Anyone can have limitations with hand and/or finger dexterity, but older adults are impacted at higher rates. Combine this with mobility and other limitations and ... what is one to do with the time on their hands (pun intended)? After staring at an air plant that had outgrown its space, I started crafting with it and new ones I purchased.
But, there are other options, as shared in a blog post by the Institute on Aging. The intro to the post is included below. If you are caring for someone and need ideas, follow the link to see the full list of ideas.
Crafts for Seniors with Limited Dexterity: Ideas for Caregivers
My uncle, Jim, loves to work with his hands. For most of his life, he’s been an avid model builder, painter, and multi-talented craftsmen. He could sit at the kitchen table all day long, building, painting, and creating without even stopping for lunch.
Unfortunately, over the past couple of years, he slowly began losing dexterity in his hands, making it almost impossible for him to do the intricate work that he used to. For Jim, this was really tough. The thing that had brought him so much joy was now causing him a lot of frustration. He gave up working with his hands altogether and that creative spark in him seemed to fizzle out.
Uncle Jim’s experience is a common one. As adults age, they experience muscle fiber loss that can result in decreased dexterity. This often means that they must give up hobbies, such as knitting, crocheting, or beading, that bring them great joy. But because of this tendency to decrease activity, it is important for aging adults to find new enjoyable activities or projects that can improve their dexterity while stimulating their creativity.
So, in the spirit of helping my Uncle Jim and many other aging adults like him, I’ve come up with a few fun crafts for seniors with limited dexterity that caregivers or family members can have fun doing with them. Read more...
Comments