Seniors take to book coloring
Published 12:41 pm Thursday, September 24, 2015
Reporter staff
Coloring isn’t just for kids anymore.
More adults are beginning to pick up crayons, colored pencils and gel pens and fill in the blanks.
It’s a good way to relax and unwind.
At Kent’s Scenic Vista Senior Apartments, coffee and conversation have given way to adult coloring books and serenity.
“One tenant stuck his head into the room the other day and said, ‘Boy, it’s sure quiet in here,'” said Mary Alice Vivian, taking a break from the craft with other residents. “It’s therapeutic, relaxing.”
A group of about 15 residents gather daily to select and color a wide variety of books designed for adults – from flowers to birds, abstract images to landscapes.
“We’re having the greatest time,” Vivian said. “We’re all friends, and this is just something we started to do.”
The health benefits go beyond relaxation, and include exercising fine motor skills and training the brain to focus.
“It’s also being creative,” Vivian said.
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PHOTO BELOW:
Jeannie Wiley, a Scenic Vista resident, shows a collection of colored works from fellow residents, part of the center’s avid book coloring club. Mark Klaas, Kent Reporter
