Planting a Garden & Preparing Tea: The Benefits of Conducting an Online Art-based Therapy Group for Seniors

Health Canada identifies seniors as persons over sixty-five years of age and who also belong to one of Canada’s vulnerable populations. The pandemic’s global virus targeted this vulnerable population. This research describes how a senior art- based therapy group who met in person once a week for two hours, transitioned to meet using an online video platform called ZOOM. The outcome of this qualitative research using a phenomenological hermeneutic methodology suggests the importance of providing technical resources and providing an online therapeutic space for seniors to remain socially connected during a pandemic. The online art-based therapy group program for seniors provided an accessible way to continue the group’s cohesiveness during a troubling time. While it also provided a way to process the feelings of hope, loss, anxiety, isolation, and the day-to-day challenges of living in a pandemic. It also cultivated greater self-awareness and enhanced the group’s self-esteem to continue to meet after the research was completed. One year later the group members still meet weekly. Now the online group is known as “The Joyful Art Journey.”