The benefits of coloring books for seniors certainly include the mindfulness and relaxation that everyone receives, but it also provides advantages in dexterity, boredom relief, and mind stimulation. In fact, coloring has been found to be helpful to those suffering from the early to mid-stages of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
AARP believes in the benefits of coloring for senior citizens so much that they’ve partnered with HCIF to produce a unique line of adult coloring books called InkSpirations which are designed specifically to provide emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental benefits. They’ve provided two pages available for free. Download the “Just Be” coloring page here and the Mandala coloring page here.
Coloring Books For Seniors Including Those with Dementia and Alzheimers – How to Choose the Right Book
When shopping for a coloring book for a senior, consider his or her limitations and needs. Simple designs are best for those with sight or dexterity problems. Dementia and Alzheimer suffers may prefer a coloring book of everyday activities or ones that depict historical events which can lead to storytelling or remembrances of things they’ve done or knew about. Coloring books that lay flat or that a page can be removed from are best for seniors who’ll need assistance and professionally printed pages rather than those printed at home will be more rewarding and less frustrating. Printing pages at home with an inkjet printer can produce pages that smear and bleed when colored.
Purchase colored pencils, gel pens, or markers that are appropriate for the senior’s dexterity and abilities. A set of fine point pens can be frustrating as would a set of fat markers that won’t fit into the coloring lines. Soft watercolor pencils with a sharpener may be the easiest option. Provide pencil grips if necessary – they’re inexpensive and can be moved from pencil to pencil. Shop carefully and avoid the cheap Chinese pencils and pens sold at dollar stores and on Amazon.com. They’re frustratingly poorly made, and most of the good reviews for these inferior products are fake or are from people who received the items for free or a reduced price.
Coloring Books for Seniors, the Elderly, Sight-Impaired, and more
Choose Quality Pens and Pencils for Coloring
Fiskars Gel Pen Set, 48-piece – Multiple Colors
Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, Soft Core, 72-Count
Prismacolor Watercolor Pencils 36/Pkg
Pencil Pen Ergonomics Handwriting Aid Grip for Adult and Kids – Anti-Skid
My parents can be really hard to shop for. I need to pick up some coloring books and art supplies for their Easter baskets. Yup, they still get baskets!
My mom (who is a great grandma) loves to color. She is in a group that meets once a week just to color together for an hour. 🙂
Coloring for adults is definitely becoming a thing now! I would love to start coloring again!
This is such a great gift idea for my daughter. She loves coloring books!
These coloring books are perfect to my mom! She will surely love this new habit.
This is such a good idea! I have two adult coloring books for myself, and even if I don’t color regularly, it provides me the relaxation I need once in a while. I think the patterns for coloring books for seniors are perfect to help them practice their fine motor skills. I also love those grip aids. I think me and my husband would need that, instead of always getting fat pens. 🙂
I would never think to do adult coloring books for seniors what a great idea, and makes a lot of sense! This is great to know.
Coloring is really great for stress. I have several coloring books. I like the Just Be coloring page.
That seems like an excellent idea. When people use different parts of their brains, they activated different receptors. That’s especially important for seniors.
That’s such a great idea to have coloring books for seniors. I bet it helps a lot, I know coloring helps my teen settle and calm her anxiety!
Those are super cool! I love to color. It really relaxes me. I think using different parts of the brain is so important for seniors.
This is a great collection. I wonder if my mom would like working on a coloring book from time to time.
I love adult coloring books. I feel like they help activate different parts of my brain when I’m filling in those spaces.
What a beautiful idea! I can easily see coloring being great for fine motor skills, as well as making a wonderful stress reliever.
These sound great! Anything that can get an older person to use different parts of their brain is key to helping the brain stay in top form.