This master’s thesis explores visual art therapy as a form of psychosocial support in elderly day care. In the context of population aging, the growing prevalence of dementia, and the limited scope of pharmacological approaches, there is an increasing need for holistic, community-oriented forms of care. The research focuses on how to create safe and encouraging creative conditions, and how to design an inclusive and connecting visual art therapy program within a day care setting for older adults. The empirical part of the thesis involved a six-week visual art therapy program, in which 12 day care users participated. The study is based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods: semi-structured interviews, participant observation, workshop evaluations, and short survey questionnaires. The analysis focuses on changes in participants’ mood, sense of connectedness, and creative self-confidence, as well as the suitability of selected materials, tasks, and the spatial conditions within the institutional setting. The findings indicate that a thoughtfully designed visual art therapy process can enhance positive mood, foster interpersonal connectedness, and gradually strengthen participants’ confidence in their own creative abilities. The thesis contributes to the understanding of the conditions necessary for implementing quality visual art therapy in elderly day care and similar forms of institutional care and offers practical guidelines for its integration into everyday practice.
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