Retirement means standing down from the regular grind of the working or business world and spending more time on the finer things in life. If you happen to have a family member who plans to retire soon, you may first think of giving them a vacation or cruise. But what could come after that? Would they still be able to maintain a sense of purpose in the remainder of their life? With that in mind, you might want to introduce—or reintroduce—them to the world of making art. Consider these factors when setting up an art studio for a colourful retirement age:
Convenience
Spaces for the elderly need a lot of accessibility considerations since they can’t move around like they used to. You’d want to give your family member the comfort and ease of movement while doing an activity that they like. Creating art, especially the ones made from traditional media, needs space in itself. It would be helpful to provide a backyard studio that is both easy to get into and exit from. Consider putting in a ramp-type walkway as well as main doors that have easy-to-use handles.
Brightness
People in their later years may have vision impediments that may limit what they can do with the brush and canvas or any medium that they choose. You can help ease this problem by making a visit to an eye specialist first so that you can determine the amount of light that their eyes can take. After that, with your professional builder, plan out where to place the bulbs and windows for maximum illumination and comfort. Art is mostly visual, so ensuring proper lighting is vital.
Equipment
Artists use various tools of the trade that may be difficult to handle for people in their senior years. Before starting, make sure that your family member is capable of handling delicate brushes and strokes for the paintings that they want to create. If they’re into other kinds of art, such as sculpture, photography, and flower arrangement, then you should do the same. It’s best to keep these at a level that they can access without any problems. It wouldn’t be wise to force them into reaching for what they need.
Amenities
Your elderly will still need to do basic living activities, such as eating, taking a bath, and sleeping, even when they’re getting busy with their art. Because of this, you would want to provide them with easy-to-use amenities such as a small kitchen with appliances, a toilet, and a bed to rest on. It’s best to provide certain assistive features for seniors such as non-slip flooring and railings. Proper support is a must for any artist.
Art is a wonderful stress reliever; it helps people keep their minds working and focused. Depending on the kind of medium that they want to work with, it can also become a way for them to exercise. People in their older years will benefit much from creating beautiful pieces in a studio of their own. If you want your elderly family member to keep on being productive even in their old age, art is worth introducing to them.
