Art therapy clubs are активно developing at the Active Longevity Center, providing retirees with excellent opportunities to spend their free time in a meaningful and engaging way. Today, around 500 elderly participants attend social and vocational activities across all district branches of the Center, including about 50 seniors who regularly take part in woodworking classes.
The most active participants are women retirees. They show a strong interest in handicrafts and enthusiastically attend a wide range of clubs, including art therapy, drawing and painting, “Sewing Basics,” sand therapy, woodworking, “Fashion for Seniors,” carpet weaving, patchwork, and the “Masters” club.
Since 2024, the “80+ Grandmothers” Club has been successfully operating in the Baikonur district. It has become a unique space where participants share life experience and develop their creative skills. Members meet once a week to create handmade items in a national style. They produce traditional garments such as chapans, kimesheks, kamzols, as well as bags, skirts, stylish scarves, patchwork cushions, and decorative panels, while also passing on their knowledge to younger generations.
In addition, under the initiative of art therapy instructor Alfiya Chernyatevich, retirees in the Baikonur district are mastering the art of cutting and sewing, promoting national costumes, and organizing fashion shows. As part of the social project “80+ Sheber Shop,” they present their handmade products at exhibitions and city fairs, gaining opportunities to earn additional income.
In the Saryarka district, within the framework of the “Generational Continuity” project, skilled elderly women conduct мастер-классы (masterclasses) for schoolchildren and students. Over 30 sessions, they have taught the intricacies of sewing and contributed to promoting in-demand professions, especially within the context of 2025 being declared the Year of Working Professions. These classes play an important role in career guidance for high school students.
Since August 2025, a woodworking club has also been launched at the Center’s branch in the Almaty district, led by experienced craftsman Shakhmurat Abdygalykov. Participants learn to create traditional wooden items such as dishes, ladles, bowls, spoons, as well as musical instruments like the dombra, kobyz, and saz syrnai. Working with wood has become not only a craft but also an effective way for retirees to relax and improve their emotional well-being.
Classes are held three times a week, and participation in all clubs is free of charge for retirees. These initiatives contribute to an active lifestyle among the older generation, foster creative development, and strengthen intergenerational connections.
Engaging in handicrafts is not just a way to pass the time. For older adults, it is a meaningful and beneficial activity that has a positive impact on both physical health and emotional well-being.
