Creative Writing for Older Adults, Smile

Make your own positive poem.

Short Description:

In an acrostic poem, each letter of a word, in this case, the word SMILE, is the starting letter for a new word or phrase related to the original one. This is a fun exercise in creative writing for older adults.

For example, if I use the word CAT, I can make a poem that looks like this:

Curious
Always playful
Terrifically independent

Print the poetry page, and write a word or short sentence after each letter in SMILE. The words you write should all relate to fun and positivity.

Then read it from top to bottom, and you have written a poem.

Directions for Caregivers:

Print the poems and give them to individuals to make by themselves or do them together one-on-one.

It is always nice to chat about different possibilities. Begin by putting your ideas on a separate piece of paper and write the text into the poem page when you are happy.

Print a poem page for each participant. Use a whiteboard and make a collaborative poem or ask each group member to make their own.

Maybe brainstorm some ideas before writing the lines into the poem page. This is an excellent path to creative writing for older adults.

The poems can be shared by reading aloud and look great displayed in your community.

About this Activity

Write your own poem using this creative writing activity for older adults.

Click here and here for more poems to make. Here is our creative writing ideas page.

Check out what Bethesda Health writes about the benefits of creative writing for seniors.

For example: "one of the benefits of creative writing exercises is that it allows them to express their feelings instead of keeping them bottled up inside. This can be especially helpful for those older adults with memory issues that cause them frustration, anxiety and fear. Not only does committing their thoughts to paper give seniors a way to address their emotional needs, but completing a writing project can provide them with a sense of pride and accomplishment."