The other day, I overheard a conversation between two women that really touched my heart. One of them was sharing with her friend about her father’s recent visits to a therapist. Apparently, he’s been faithfully attending sessions even though he doesn’t fully understand why. It turns out, the therapist recommended paint by numbers as an activity for him. The reason? It’s incredibly beneficial for people dealing with dementia.

I’m always fascinated by stories like this, especially given the rise of dementia and Alzheimer’s in our society today (2024). When I got home, I immediately started digging into it. I found numerous craft websites advocating for the benefits of paint by numbers for dementia, but I wanted more than anecdotes — I wanted to see real studies with solid results.

As I delved deeper, I discovered that painting can actually aid in slowing down cognitive decline. Then, I stumbled upon a fascinating 2017 study that revealed some unexpected findings about combating dementia — things I never would have imagined could play a role in fighting this dreaded disease.

In this 2017 study, researchers tested 1,929 participants over four years. They discovered that engaging in various activities had significant benefits: computer use decreased the risk of cognitive impairment by 30%, craft activities by 28%, social activities by 23%, and playing games by 22%. These findings highlight the diverse ways everyday activities can positively impact cognitive health.

I was pleasantly surprised by these findings. Usually, when we read about ways to slow cognitive decline, such as in cases of dementia, we come across the following:

• Crossword puzzles

• Sudoku

• Art therapy

• Cooking (Have you ever seen someone with dementia try to cook or bake? It’s rare because they often forget what they were doing just minutes before.)

• Yoga or exercise

The activities mentioned above — like computer use, craft activities, social interactions, and playing games — really surprised me. These aren’t typically the first things you come across when you search on Google, for instance. It’s eye-opening to learn about these unconventional yet effective ways to support cognitive health.

Getting back to the point

To get back to the point, whether paint by number helps with Dementia. According to this study:

Do you believe we should avoid using art therapy to help individuals facing cognitive decline? I don’t think so. In my opinion, as a society, we should do everything we can to halt, pause, or slow down cognitive decline, especially in cases of dementia and Alzheimer’s.