Painting a brighter future for carers

The Narrabri Carer’s and Caring Group enjoyed a day of relaxation when they joined a Paint and Sip class at the Narrabri Aquatic Centre room on Wednesday, October 4.

Morning tea and lunch was provided for ten carers who attended the wellbeing day where mocktails were served during the class organised by Whiddon wellbeing manager Kelly Bruce.

There were some delightful renditions painted of ‘The Summer Birdhouse’, a project undertaken by some who may have never painted before.

Following the Paint and Sip class, attendees enjoyed a ‘mindful meditation’ session conducted by Hunter New England Health (HNEH) memory and cognition dementia support nurse Kylie Greste.

Celebrating Carers Awareness month, the event was sponsored by Carers NSW, Narrabri Parkinson’s Group, and the Dementia Friendly Community Committee.

Creating a carer’s community and offering personal time and companionship is the main focus of the group, with the purpose to give something back to friends and family who care for others.

National Carers Week runs for one week from Sunday, October 15 to Saturday, October 21, 2023.

It is a time to recognise, celebrate and raise awareness about the 2.65 million Australians who provide care and support to a family member or friend.

This year’s carer wellbeing survey found carers who had good access to support had healthy levels of wellbeing compared to those who had no or limited access to help.

“For the last three years, the Narrabri Carers and Caring Group, the Dementia Friendly Community Committee and the Narrabri Parkinson’s Support Group have got together to plan a Carers Wellbeing Day,” said HNEH memory and cognition dementia support nurse Kylie Finlay.

“We have also been fortunate to be successful in getting a small grant from Carers NSW to run these days.

“We decided this year to have a Paint and Sip with mocktails, and carers had a choice of making a ‘Super Sunrise Special’, a ‘Big Ginger Bear Hug’, and ‘Granma’s Special Apple Iced Tea’.

“Attendee Sheryl Barnes won the prize for the most fancy cocktail.”

It is well-known that painting promotes creative growth.

When painting, creativity will expand as the painter draws inspiration from different sources and learns to work with colours and materials.

Socialising, encouraging positivity, improving fine motor skills, offering stress-relief and relaxation for carers is just part of the picture.

Among other benefits, it has been found that people in middle or older age who paint or participate in other artistic activities are 73 per cent less likely to develop memory and thinking problems.

Art therapy has also been proven to generate a burst of dopamine that makes people feel accomplished, motivated, and focused.

Painting in a group setting brings people together, and the social environment is a win-win for both mental and physical health.

Through the creative process, painters quickly realise that mistakes can easily turn into a beautiful piece of art, a lesson we can all apply to other areas of life.