Craft Projects for the Elderly and Disabled

There are so many small craft projects, with assistance that the elderly, handicapped and disabled can do! My most important suggestion is not to involve them in a lengthy project, but one they can accomplish in a short time frame.

Here are a few ideas, but use your imagination as there are a lot of brilliant members on Thrifty Fun!

Take a photo of this person, assist them to draw around their face on the photo by using a cup centered and an ink pen. Assist or cut out with scissors or pinking sheers. Use a hole punch to make 2 holes an inch apart. using Tacky glue, add a trim piece of lace around the edge of the photo, make a small bow and glue that on the top or bottom but, not to overpower or interfere with their photo. Use a large safety pin between the two holes, allow to dry. Voila! They can wear a pin with their own photo that they helped to create!
Another easy project is to allow them to look at pictures in magazines to see what draws their interest. Ask them to point, smile, or discuss if they see something they like or has a fond memory for them. Mark these items and also things that you feel the person would like. Cut these out, glue all of these items onto a poster board as a collage! Use a Glitter Pen to put their name at the top! This is a sure hit! Allow them to assist as much as they can! A lace trim glued to the outer edge makes it a tad more fancy!
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Refrigerator magnets are also a hit made from photos, left over craft items, etc. They stick to metal wheel chairs and walkers, you know! Most of all, use your imagination for them for projects!
I have not come across one person who would not like to help make a homemade card! Left over craft items, paper stock, colored markers and glue! It can be for any occasion of just because!
Cookie decorating is fun for all!

I guarantee these projects will be a hit and very rewarding, both ways! Their motor skills and abilities may be impaired but, with your help, the possibilities are limitless! Please add your own creative ideas to this! Thank you!

By Missy MM from OH

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Vivienne48

June 27, 20121 found this helpful

Top Comment

I like these ideas and I intend trying them with the special Needs group I help at. A couple of weeks ago we had a "pottery painting evening". I cast models using rubber moulds and plaster of paris. We had dogs, cats, owls, (soccer) footballers, (British) policemen, lions, rabbits and crinoline ladies.

It was an eye-opener seeing what colours the members chose for their models, bright purple and pink cats, orange dogs, a two colour crinoline lady! But they were thrilled, they had done it themselves and they each had a souvenir to take home wrapped in kitchen towel!

Poca
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 115 Feedbacks

February 15, 20100 found this helpful

Excellent! Perhaps good for Sunday school or classroom kids?

Lelia Jo Cordell
Diamond Feedback Medal for All Time! 1,394 Feedbacks

February 16, 20100 found this helpful

These would've been fun for me to try as occupational therapy when I was recovering from a car wreck 7 years ago this month.

gentle.native.rose

April 21, 20190 found this helpful

I love the ideas! I respectfully suggest that you add tactile crafts for those who are totally blind or have low vision. Wiki Stix are a great option. They're pieces of yarn covered with a nontoxic wax and can be pressed down onto paper to form a raised outline or shape. Maybe you could put the Stix over the major portions of adult coloring pages; puff paint would also work well for this. The colored Wiki Stix can also be wrapped around things to create a built-up grip. Sometimes I put them around my crochet hooks. I also get pencil grips to put around crochet hooks and loom knitting tools. For those who are able to read and do some of the project on their own, consider writing out instructions with short steps so they are easier to remember. For those who have had to give up needlework or other yarn crafts, they could try loom knitting. Although I'm not an individual in a nursing home, I did live in assisted living for awhile, and I was disappointed with the lack of inclusive stuff. I'm only 34, but I have multiple disabilities: blindness, traumatic brain injury, neuropathy and chronic pain, mental health challenges. These are just some of the craft things that have helped me out. I have also worked with nonverbal kids and those with multiple disabilities...before the traumatic brain injury took my ability to finish school and work. I spend my time making things for the people in my life - things that will make their hearts happy. One thing that's helpful for me as a person with post-traumatic stress disorder is to hold, cuddle, and otherwise play with baby dolls.

Last night, I saw some great patterns for loom knit dolls. They're no bigger than 6" so the clients you serve could easily put them in a wheelchair/walker bag or put a smaller one in a pocket. I'm sure you have noticed how, even the most seemingly "incapacitated" person, holding a baby doll can be very comforting. I mention this idea with the dolls, not so much for your clients to create, but for a volunteer like me to make to send to your nursing home, assisted living facility, memory care facility, hospital, hospice, or wherever you might need them. If you would like to collaborate to make crafts for elderly individuals and those with disabilities, don't hesitate to let me know. One more idea just occurred to me: You could make play dough with calming essential oils, like lavender and chamomile, or skin-nourishing oils, like geranium. That way, your participants could squeeze a bit of the cooled play dough and experience the benefits of calming scents. After my bilateral hand surgery last August, the therapists had me do simple things, like roll putty between my hands to form a snake shape, and just pinch/squeeze/roll the putty. Although that sort of thing is therapeutic, you could just make it fun by creating your own play dough with whatever essential oils and food colorings. I'm going to figure out how to expand on your magnet idea, as I would love to put some tactile things on my refrigerator. Awesome tips - Thanks!Just thoughts...

Bethany

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