Group lifestyle programs reach 50–70% of residents in a typical Australian aged care home. The rest — often the ones who'd benefit most — never come to the activity room.
One-on-one paint-by-numbers sessions in their own room reach a meaningful share of that remaining group. It is one of the formats we support through our aged care and retirement programs.
Why Group Programs Miss These Residents
Sensory overwhelm, social anxiety, mobility issues, or a long-standing dislike of group settings. None of those are solved by louder invitations to the activity room.
The activity has to come to them.
What a Good One-on-One Session Looks Like
30–45 minutes. Same time each week. Same lifestyle staff member or trained volunteer. A small canvas (20×30 cm) on an over-bed table or wheelchair tray.
Goal: one section painted per session, every session, without exception.
Choosing the Subject Together
Start by asking what they liked before. Gardening? Paint a rose. Sailing? Paint a yacht. Dogs? Paint a labrador. The conversation about choosing the subject is half the wellbeing benefit.
Custom kits make any subject achievable.
What Outcomes to Track
Engagement minutes, mood scores before and after, family-reported call frequency, and any reduction in PRN use. One-on-one sessions tend to produce stronger improvements than group ones for this cohort — because the baseline is lower.
Document it carefully. The case for funding a part-time art therapy role often starts here.
Family Involvement
Send a photo of the in-progress canvas to family monthly. Many families will start visiting more often once they have a tangible activity to share with their loved one.
The painting becomes a conversation prop, which is more than most aged care rooms have.
One-on-one art therapy isn't a niche luxury. With paint-by-numbers as the structure, it's a low-cost, high-yield program that reaches the residents who matter most.
— Be Artistic Club