A comprehensive [meta-analysis](https://www.nature.com/articles/s44220-024-00368-1) published in _Nature Mental Health_ reveals that group arts programs and interventions produce meaningful improvements in mental health for adults over 55. Researchers who analyzed 39 controlled studies overall involving more than 3,300 participants found that participating in group arts activities led to moderate reductions in both depression and anxiety symptoms — effects that were statistically reliable across the analyzed studies.
The research showed group arts programs and interventions achieved stronger results when conducted in residential care facilities compared to when they were delivered in nonresidential community locations. Art programs in care facilities reduced [depression symptoms](https://www.mcknights.com/news/depression-and-anxiety-affect-40-percent-of-chronic-pain-patients-major-study-finds/) at nearly twice the rate compared to similar programs in community centers or other non-residential settings. The study authors suggest that creative activities may be especially valuable as a mental health intervention for older adults living in residential care environments.
“It may be that group arts interventions provide a universal benefit that is particularly helpful for individuals who need them most — that is, individuals living in care homes and experiencing any depression,” the study authors reported.
Importantly, different art forms — including visual arts, music and dance — were equally effective at improving mental health outcomes. This flexibility, the researched noted, allows for implementation based on available resources and participant preferences rather than requiring specific art types.
The study found no difference in effectiveness between formal arts therapy led by trained therapists, and arts activities led by artists or volunteers, suggesting both approaches offer mental health benefits for older adults.
These findings are especially significant given that older adults may face barriers to traditional mental health treatments such as antidepressant medications. As the study explains, “older adults are at greater risk of side-effects from antidepressant medication and face barriers to accessing talking therapies (for example, treatment costs, discomfort in discussing mental health and ageist attitudes of medical staff), alternative evidence-based methods of supporting older adults should also be considered.”
The researchers concluded that group arts interventions represent an effective, accessible alternative for addressing depression and anxiety among older adults, with effects comparable to pharmacological and therapeutic treatments currently recommended for this age group.