Brushstrokes of Wellness: The Power of Art in Senior Care

Brushstrokes of Wellness: The Power of Art in Senior Care

00:00:16.910 –> 00:00:26.199
Dennis Gill: Okay. So welcome to CareSmartz360 On Air, a Home Care Podcast. I’m Dennis Gill, a Senior Sales Consultant at Caresmartz.

00:00:26.490 –> 00:00:34.650
Dennis Gill: So to all the art adventurers and wellness warriors out there. This is an episode you don’t want to, miss.

00:00:35.090 –> 00:00:45.089
Dennis Gill: I’m beyond thrilled to introduce a true creative visionary, Mary Beth Flynn, the ingenious Owner and Founder of Artfully Aging, LLC.

00:00:45.890 –> 00:01:06.040
Dennis Gill: So just to give you a quick view about Mary’s vibrant watercolor world isn’t just about painting beautiful house portraits—although her nationally acclaimed work over 25 brilliant years tells quite the tale—it’s about igniting creative sparks in seniors across all care settings.

00:01:06.500 –> 00:01:17.209
Dennis Gill: With a person-centered, holistic approach, Artfully Aging offers a full menu of watercolor projects paired with dynamic Train the Trainer videos

00:01:17.350 –> 00:01:20.219
Dennis Gill: empowering caregivers and seniors alike.

00:01:20.530 –> 00:01:30.770
Dennis Gill: Whether you’re joining one of her lively, in-person sessions in St. Louis or exploring her ready-to-paint projects and digital “How To” videos online

00:01:31.210 –> 00:01:36.210
Dennis Gill: her program is designed to unlock the creative potential in every participant.

00:01:36.480 –> 00:01:52.009
Dennis Gill: So prepare to dip your brush into a palette of inspiration as we explore the transformative power of art in senior care. Let’s paint a picture of wellness together. Stay tuned for creative magic, welcome to the podcast, Mary.

00:01:52.970 –> 00:01:56.349
Mary Flynn: Oh, thank you so much. I’m thrilled to be here.

00:01:56.610 –> 00:01:57.230
Dennis Gill: Thank you

00:01:57.230 –> 00:02:11.629
Dennis Gill: same here. So I hope this session would be really helpful for our listeners, and they will definitely learn more about you. Your agency, your way of working, and it would definitely encourage them to work in such a manner. That way. You’re doing it.

00:02:12.110 –> 00:02:13.410
Mary Flynn: Yeah, thank, you.

00:02:13.410 –> 00:02:18.009
Dennis Gill: No problem so straight away. Let’s start with the 1st question for you.

00:02:18.360 –> 00:02:26.649
Dennis Gill: So, Mary, what inspired you to blend watercolor art with senior care. And how did artfully aging Llc. Come to life? I’m also very eager to know about it.

00:02:27.200 –> 00:02:33.589
Mary Flynn: Okay, great. Well, okay, I’ll try to keep it short because it could be a long story. But

00:02:33.730 –> 00:02:44.249
Mary Flynn: so I’ve been a lifelong artist ever since I was a little girl, and I had some entrepreneurial tendencies leanings even back in childhood.

00:02:46.100 –> 00:03:08.249
Mary Flynn: I majored in design in college as thinking the most practical way to go rather than just straight fine art I majored in interior design. I worked in commercial interiors for several years. Okay? And then became a stay at home, mom, and

00:03:08.340 –> 00:03:21.385
Mary Flynn: with little children. And I started working as a freelance artist. Okay? And developed a house portrait business. So that would be about 30 years ago. I developed a

00:03:22.410 –> 00:03:46.929
Mary Flynn: I I do original watercolor house portraits by special order working photographs. And I developed that and got national coverage. I marketed and and sold nationally got photos, but that only photos in the mail back then they weren’t sending them digitally.

00:03:48.220 –> 00:03:57.379
Mary Flynn: So at any rate, I did that and developed that I owned my my watercolor skills. Very. I’m highly skilled in watercolor.

00:03:58.434 –> 00:04:05.119
Mary Flynn: Then the recession of 2,008, maybe through 11 hit. Yeah.

00:04:05.120 –> 00:04:05.690
Dennis Gill: Through the movie.

00:04:05.690 –> 00:04:24.507
Mary Flynn: I had to scurry and recreate myself, reinvent myself. The house portrait business is a high end gift market market, and it really took a hit during those years. So I found myself with several part time jobs and

00:04:25.110 –> 00:04:44.939
Mary Flynn: one was a home caregiver for a home care company part time. One was a floral designer, one was an architectural firm. I had a whole myriad of jobs, and I also now had a burning desire to do something more meaningful.

00:04:45.110 –> 00:04:53.250
Mary Flynn: and maybe go back to school and get an Msw. And work in social work or something of that sort.

00:04:53.460 –> 00:05:17.579
Mary Flynn: But anyway, I really didn’t have time for that time or finances. So I had these jobs, and I was waiting for my stars to line up to say, Okay, I’m going in this direction now, and lo and behold, they did. I also got a little gig at an adult day center doing our programming. So along with the home care.

00:05:17.610 –> 00:05:24.210
Mary Flynn: Come, you know, Gig, I put together. I thought I could do something really meaningful with

29
00:05:24.270 –> 00:05:33.899
Mary Flynn: an art program for older adults. So and I know watercolor like the back of my hand. So I’m gonna do watercolor. So there you go.

00:05:34.270 –> 00:05:34.760
Dennis Gill: Okay.

00:05:35.660 –> 00:05:45.929
Dennis Gill: good. To hear that very inspirational story, I would say. And how does your personal centered holistic approach influence the way seniors experience and benefit from the art.

00:05:46.580 –> 00:05:54.189
Mary Flynn: Okay. So Arthurly Aging’s philosophy is that everyone is an artist.

00:05:54.190 –> 00:05:54.650
Dennis Gill: Okay.

00:05:54.650 –> 00:06:19.740
Mary Flynn: No question. Okay, have creative tendencies and juices that just want to get out. And you know, most people that I work with of the older adults of every care level. They’re afraid they’re intimidated. We say we’re going to have watercolor, and they’re oh, I don’t know how to do that.

00:06:19.740 –> 00:06:20.170
Dennis Gill: Yeah.

00:06:20.170 –> 00:06:39.740
Mary Flynn: But artfully aging is very accessible. I have designed the program, so it’s accessible to all. Everyone can realize some success, and my hope is that they will experience what it’s like to be the artist who they already are.

00:06:39.740 –> 00:06:40.540
Dennis Gill: Okay.

00:06:40.710 –> 00:06:44.619
Mary Flynn: And most people are not professional artists, and

00:06:44.730 –> 00:06:52.586
Mary Flynn: even a high percentage of even older adults have hardly done any art at all in their lifetime. So

00:06:53.240 –> 00:07:01.480
Mary Flynn: so the the approach is that this is for everyone, and we are going to find your own personal creativity in the process.

00:07:01.820 –> 00:07:10.670
Dennis Gill: Oh, okay, okay, nice to hear about that. And can you share a memorable breakthrough or a success story from one of your in-personal watercare sessions in St. Louis.

00:07:10.840 –> 00:07:12.579
Dennis Gill: If you could just shed some light on that.

00:07:12.960 –> 00:07:14.981
Mary Flynn: Sure. Yeah. Well, I have a few.

00:07:15.270 –> 00:07:17.850
Dennis Gill: Yeah, surely, surely, please, please, please, we would love to hear that.

00:07:17.850 –> 00:07:19.536
Mary Flynn: So I

00:07:20.560 –> 00:07:31.478
Mary Flynn: I have had a couple 2 women in particular that I worked with. One lived in a community. Well, they both lived in communities. One was in more skilled nursing, and one was in

00:07:32.100 –> 00:07:49.199
Mary Flynn: independent living. And I did art with one in a 1 on one basis, so I would go to her apartment and do it with her and and the other one lived in a community. So we were in a group setting. At any rate.

00:07:49.947 –> 00:07:51.620
Mary Flynn: both of them

00:07:52.050 –> 00:08:17.999
Mary Flynn: really found a lot of joy in doing art, and didn’t really know that they again like I was just saying they had any creativity in them or or talents, and they came out. But the thing that I loved the most was they had both lost their husbands, so they were no longer with them, and every time we created something they they said, oh, I wish

00:08:18.060 –> 00:08:42.119
Mary Flynn: Bob was here. He would be so tickled to see what I’m doing now, and and I would she would invite me to her room, the the lady in skilled nursing, and she had arranged all of her artwork on the wall, and it just gave her so much life and and joy, so great experience. So that kind of those kinds of experiences.

00:08:42.900 –> 00:09:02.520
Mary Flynn: I’ve had people. I had one woman say I never did art before. I went to a Catholic, a Catholic parochial grade school, and all they gave us were crayons. She had never watercolored ever, and she told that story every time she came to the group. So we had a fun time. Yeah.

00:09:02.520 –> 00:09:08.260
Dennis Gill: Oh, good! To hear that. You must have had some great experiences on that. Yeah, okay.

00:09:08.260 –> 00:09:09.100
Mary Flynn: Absolutely.

00:09:09.100 –> 00:09:17.509
Dennis Gill: Yeah. So what challenges have you encountered while adapting art programming for diverse senior care settings? And how have you overcome them?

00:09:18.740 –> 00:09:32.269
Mary Flynn: Okay, so maybe a few challenges. So you know, I started out years ago. 16 years ago, I was working part time for a home care company as a caregiver. So I have

00:09:32.270 –> 00:09:49.109
Mary Flynn: that experience. And then, when I started artfully aging, I really was laser focused on senior living communities and contract with them and going in, and and then I would do. And I we still do here in St. Louis

00:09:49.685 –> 00:09:53.570
Mary Flynn: Art Sessions, with their groups of their residents.

00:09:53.570 –> 00:09:54.250
Dennis Gill: Okay.

00:09:54.530 –> 00:10:02.942
Mary Flynn: Now, and I was no longer involved with home care after, until more recently again. And

00:10:04.010 –> 00:10:21.489
Mary Flynn: The woman that I cared for when I was working for a Home Care Company had Alzheimer’s, and I did art with her, and her family came to know about my art skills and wanted me to do art with her.

00:10:21.620 –> 00:10:23.142
Mary Flynn: It was very

00:10:23.730 –> 00:10:45.670
Mary Flynn: important to them, and appealing to the family that I do art with the client. So I had that experience with her, and lo and behold, that same person ended up moving into a community local community where I am was then later doing art programming. So it was funny she showed up again.

00:10:45.670 –> 00:10:55.229
Mary Flynn: And so where I’m going with this is, there is a difference between home care. One of the main differences between home care and

00:10:55.230 –> 00:11:19.340
Mary Flynn: and senior living communities is that Senior living has a whole life enrichment or slash activity department, where they plan meaningful, engaging activities that are to try to provide. You know, creative stimulation. All all of that, whereas that’s not really part of the offering.

00:11:19.340 –> 00:11:20.170
Dennis Gill: Okay.

00:11:20.520 –> 00:11:25.249
Mary Flynn: So much well, not and definitely, not as a standard.

00:11:25.250 –> 00:11:25.770
Dennis Gill: Okay.

00:11:25.770 –> 00:11:42.659
Mary Flynn: So so I spent the rest of my time focusing on senior living communities and so I then Covid hit, and I, I launched an Internet side of my business, which I would like to say a few words about.

00:11:43.040 –> 00:11:43.800
Dennis Gill: Shown you.

00:11:44.020 –> 00:12:04.829
Mary Flynn: And so now we offer an Internet side, where communities and home care companies and caregivers and individuals just like you said in your intro can go on my website and go to a menu of projects and order ready to paint projects and then gain access to how to videos.

00:12:04.830 –> 00:12:05.210
Dennis Gill: Okay.

00:12:07.650 –> 00:12:34.129
Mary Flynn: I was when I launched that side of my business 4 years ago I was focused again on senior living, and since then, in the last 4 years it’s become very clear that senior living is part of my market. But there are also all a lot of other segments in the whole senior space who could use my program? So my challenge has been to

00:12:34.506 –> 00:12:39.783
Mary Flynn: find out how to market to them. I had to kind of really like

00:12:40.160 –> 00:12:50.089
Mary Flynn: pull out all the stops, change my language, my nomenclature, so I could appeal to all of you know, all of the different sectors of

00:12:50.130 –> 00:13:06.190
Mary Flynn: of the senior space. So senior living home care senior centers adult day, you know, they’ll have the whole gamut because this is beneficial for all. And it’s it’s very accessible and easy to use.

00:13:06.310 –> 00:13:09.039
Mary Flynn: So that has been one of my challenges.

00:13:09.250 –> 00:13:13.679
Dennis Gill: Oh, okay, okay. But you did overcome that. Yeah. Did. Overcome.

00:13:13.680 –> 00:13:15.445
Mary Flynn: Well, I’m overcoming it. I’ll say.

00:13:15.740 –> 00:13:17.300
Dennis Gill: It’s a whole comic. Okay?

00:13:17.300 –> 00:13:18.400
Mary Flynn: In the process.

00:13:18.400 –> 00:13:21.730
Dennis Gill: And the process. Yeah, that process good. Good. Good! To hear that.

00:13:21.730 –> 00:13:25.179
Mary Flynn: And and for home care. It’s a great.

00:13:25.610 –> 00:13:33.350
Mary Flynn: it’s a great service. It’s added value. It’s a great addition to a care plan. Someone’s care plan to have

00:13:33.530 –> 00:13:37.349
Mary Flynn: creative engaging activities going on. Also.

00:13:37.590 –> 00:13:40.569
Mary Flynn: yeah, definitely, that is a very good point. That is a

00:13:40.570 –> 00:13:47.485
Mary Flynn: so how to reach the home care sector is my is is one of my challenges right now.

00:13:48.010 –> 00:13:52.050
Mary Flynn: because I know that the home care industry is a growing industry, and that.

00:13:52.050 –> 00:13:52.430
Dennis Gill: Yeah.

00:13:52.920 –> 00:13:55.069
Mary Flynn: Want to age in place at home.

00:13:55.760 –> 00:14:02.150
Dennis Gill: Definitely definitely. It is a very growing industry and growing at a very rapid pace, I would say, and.

00:14:02.150 –> 00:14:02.570
Mary Flynn: Right.

00:14:02.570 –> 00:14:11.540
Dennis Gill: There are. Yeah, many agencies, because I’ve been experiencing this for the past 5 and a half years, as I told you, and we see many new agencies coming up every month.

00:14:11.540 –> 00:14:12.020
Mary Flynn: Yes.

00:14:12.020 –> 00:14:21.980
Dennis Gill: New agencies coming up. And obviously the existing agencies are there. They have been working for so many years. Yeah, definitely, this is a very plus point, and the our listeners will be aware of that, and it will definitely help them. Yeah.

00:14:22.750 –> 00:14:23.590
Mary Flynn: Oh, good!

00:14:23.590 –> 00:14:36.340
Dennis Gill: Okay? And lastly, looking forward to the future, how do you envision, senior care evolving? And what role do you see art playing in enhancing the wellness and quality of life for older adults.

00:14:37.810 –> 00:14:40.069
Mary Flynn: Okay, well, it’s I think it’s

00:14:40.240 –> 00:15:04.571
Mary Flynn: it’s become common knowledge. Now, studies have been done about the benefits of creative engagement for older adults, for every level of care. It is. It is a known fact that creative engagement in of any sort. So watercolor is very beneficial. The benefits are

00:15:05.170 –> 00:15:25.030
Mary Flynn: relaxation and socialization, whether it’s in a home care setting or a community. Because when you have 2, you know, 2 people makes a community. So if it’s a caregiver and a client engaging in a creative activity. That’s a that can be socializing right there.

00:15:26.520 –> 00:15:30.000
Mary Flynn: And create a kind of relationship

00:15:30.653 –> 00:15:36.746
Mary Flynn: bond that you can only get through engaging in that creativity.

00:15:37.400 –> 00:15:57.150
Mary Flynn: the the other benefits are creative engagement, cognitive stimulation, a sense of pride and accomplishment. So all of those benefits are what make our program therapeutic. So we call it a therapeutic art program.

00:15:57.150 –> 00:15:57.850
Dennis Gill: Okay.

00:15:58.070 –> 00:16:13.739
Mary Flynn: It is not art. Therapy. Art therapy is something a little bit different. With a licensed therapist. I am an artist, and I have developed my program to be beneficial for older adults of all

00:16:13.980 –> 00:16:16.820
Mary Flynn: skill sets and care settings, so.

00:16:17.690 –> 00:16:18.889
Dennis Gill: Okay. Okay.

00:16:18.890 –> 00:16:34.710
Mary Flynn: So I think it’s going to be growing a growing awareness and a need for it that it is very beneficial. I think studies have shown that people who engage in creative stimulation may need less meds

00:16:35.110 –> 00:16:56.820
Mary Flynn: and report higher relaxation. So it’s very. It’s a holistic approach, and it’s never about right or wrong, or doing the art projects, you know, in exactly the way we say. It is not about that at all. It’s about finding your own personal creativity and relaxing into it.

00:16:57.140 –> 00:17:02.769
Mary Flynn: And we have, several projects to choose from. And they’re for all care levels. So.

00:17:03.430 –> 00:17:33.040
Dennis Gill: Got it, got it? Got it? Got it? Yeah, definitely. This looks a very interesting thing for me. Interesting feature. I would say definitely, I would heard it for the 1st time, and I really find it very interesting, and our listeners would also find it very interesting, and maybe they would be contacting you and having a word with you, and because we will be sharing it. This session on our page, and where we have home care agencies with us and the owners. They can be aware of that, and definitely, it might be helpful for them, too.

00:17:33.420 –> 00:17:34.320
Dennis Gill: Yeah.

00:17:34.320 –> 00:17:39.380
Mary Flynn: Great. Well, we’d love to hear from them all, and serve all as many people as possible. Right.

00:17:39.380 –> 00:17:58.390
Dennis Gill: That’s our motive. That’s our motive. Okay, so thank you. Thank you, Mary, for sharing your expertise today. And I will definitely say a very enlightening session, and it must be for our listeners, too. Thank you all for tuning in. Until next time, I’m Dennis Gill, signing off. Thank you, Mary.

00:17:58.760 –> 00:18:00.119
Mary Flynn: Thank you very much.