Elder Art Therapy
Philadelphia and Beyond
"It has been such fun and pleasure doing this project together... You made my life more complete during this terrible time."
Privately Disclosed
“I just LOVE older people. I love hearing their stories. Some of my favorite memories are sitting with my grandfather and watching The Price is Right and gardening with my grandmother. Being present to the amazing lives our elders have lived, helping them share their knowledge and passions is a huge honor that I deeply cherish. I’ve truly found my calling to help elders and their kin live as fully as they can.”
- Dana Rummery
Lost that spark.
It’s awful to know your loved one is struggling, stuck, and confined to their space…and possibly nearing the end of their life.
They can’t get out or do the things they used to do.
And they’ve lost that spark and that zest for life.
It’s so hard to know this is their experience right now, and it feels like it’s unchanging. Stuck in the depression, and the lack of meaning until they transition - it’s awful.
And it feels like seeing them, and trying to be there for them as best as you can - just isn’t enough.
My job is to connect and be with your elderly loved one in a way that helps them find meaning.
A good ol’ belly laugh.
I help them reconnect to the things that give them a good ol’ belly laugh, or a slight smile, or maybe feeling a sense of purpose again.
All through Art Therapy.
I will bring all the healing tidbits, materials, and things, right to them.
I show up, we talk about what’s important to them, and then we actually DO things to
help them enjoy more of their days again.
It’s never too late to tell their story. To feel better. To find purpose and meaning in their days.
Legacy work.
A lot of the projects I work on with people are legacy projects.
These are things they want people to remember. Things they’ve done, accomplished…things they want to pass on.
They’re reflecting on “How did I spend the first part of my life, and did it matter?”
And of course it did.
And the work we will do together, will help them know, in their whole being,
that it did matter. It always will.
Who’s this type of healing for?
Mostly homebound or chronically ill elders whose social circle and community connections have shrunk due to physical or mental decline. Struggling with depression, isolation, grief, and/or wanting to leave their mark through legacy work.
The projects we can do are vast and unlimited but in general it can look like making things for your family, maybe gardening again, learning a new hobby together, making something for a charity together. We will talk, I will listen, and hear your story. And there will be laughter and new goals to work on.
“Elders who can’t get out, can’t do the things that they used to do, there’s a lot of emotional and physical pain while being stuck there. I’ve always loved supporting older people who are stuck in their homes because when they create change in their lives the whole family feels it. They have given so much, really WANT to give more, and can continue to DO something that helps them feel good.”
-Dana Rummery
Finally get your loved one the healing they need.
A heads up: Where are in-nature and in-home sessions held?
In-nature and in-home Eco-Art Therapy and Art Therapy sessions are conducted in North West Philadelphia and Wissahickon Park, and within a 5 mile radius of both. Contact me if you live more than 5 miles outside of these areas. Virtual sessions can be held anywhere in Pennsylvania.