Mental Benefits of Art Therapy for Older Adults Living in Nursing Homes: A Narrative Review

Art therapy, as an intervention method that integrates perception, emotion, and creativity, shows its unique value in the process of mental health support and recovery. This study aims to identify art therapy in the field of mental health for nursing home residents and its potential benefits. Through the method of narrative literature review, this paper analyzes the main research results on art therapy in nursing homes in the past five years, critically summarizes its common forms (such as painting therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, etc.), explores implementation features, and clarifies the psychological benefits in emotion regulation, cognitive function, loneliness, stress management, perceived happiness, and overall health. Additionally, this article will review the methodological strengths and limitations of the empirical findings, providing insights for future research. In general, the majority of studies demonstrate that art therapy has the potential to be an appropriate non-pharmacological approach to long-term health care in nursing homes.