The Benefits of Crafts for People With Disabilities

Engaging in the creative process through crafts have been proven to have positive, long-term benefits. 

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Not only does crafting provide an outlet to enhance one's creativity; people can also improve various skill sets. 

And having an improved set of skills and reaping benefits from crafts can be crucial for people with disabilities.

Classifications of Disabilities 

A disability can fall into 1-2, or more, of the following:

• Orthopedic disability 
• Psychosocial disability
• Disability due to a chronic illness 
• Mental disability
• Visual disability
• Learning disability

How Do You Define A Person With Disability?

A person's disability can range from mild to moderate to severe. 

Regardless of which category or categories into which a person's disability or disabilities fall, a disability affects a person in certain ways. 

A disability might limit or hinder how a person functions physically, mentally, or socially. 

And yet, having considered all of the above, how can engaging in the creative process through crafts benefit people with disabilities?  

The Accessibility of Crafts: How Can This Benefit People With Disabilities?

People with disabilities won't need to spend much to get started on crafts.

While attractive but inexpensive craft kits abound online and in brick-and-mortar stores, people with disabilities can recycle or upcycle junk like old issues of magazines, newspapers, comic books, graphic novels, and even catalogues.

What if there are people with disabilities who bemoan, "I'm not talented/creative/skilled enough to try crafts"?

There's no reason for people with disabilities not to get started on crafts, as there are various types of crafts for all levels of creativity and skill -- newbie or beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert.

The Physical Benefits of Crafts for People With Disabilities 

A person with disability may wish to train his hands and wrists to regain his fine motor skills. 

He can do this by working with a pair of scissors, tying or knotting ribbons, weaving, sewing, or painting ceramics, among others.

Also, if a person with disability is dealing with physical pain, crafting may not be able to cure or even help relieve it. Rather, working on a craft project can temporarily divert a person with disability's focus away from his ailments. 

Crafts for People With Disabilities: The Mental and Psychosocial Benefits 

Some types of crafts require following a pattern or doing certain tasks over and over again. The repetitive motions can be soothing and calming to a person with disability's emotions.

Enhanced Self-Esteem and Body Image for People With Disabilities As A Result of Engaging in Crafts

Sometimes, having a chronic health condition or getting into an accident can leave someone partially or totally disabled, turning the disability into a life-altering condition.

People with disabilities can be prone to harboring feelings of inadequacy and low self-worth, especially if they had once led an active and productive lifestyle. 

Engaging in crafts can be a good way for people with disabilities to enhance their body image and boost their self-esteem. 

They'll be reminded that they can remain productive, functional, and even creative. They can also take pride in their finished projects.

With regards to cultivating and maintaining a healthy body image, people with disabilities will stop limiting their views as "someone who's undergoing therapy after suffering from a stroke," "a person who's now chronically underemployed due to a mental health condition," or "someone who lost function on both legs." 

Rather, they'll widen and diversify their self-perception and be able to describe themselves as "a mixed-media artist who's learning techniques in textile arts," "a cardmaker focused on whimsical designs," or "a rehab outpatient who developed an interest in paper flowers." 

Crafts for People With Disabilities: The Social Benefits  

Crafters, due to the solitary nature of the creative process, are often viewed as "lone wolves."

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But countless hobbyists have stumbled upon and integrated themselves into groups and communities of crafters. 

You can start a group with like-minded peers (e.g. quilters, paper crafts, or scrapbooking enthusiasts) and resolve to meet once a week, or a couple of times a month. 

For people with disabilities with mobility-related issues, try lurking around online communities of crafters or Facebook groups and assess which ones seem like a good fit before joining.

Relief From Boredom and A More Structure Schedule As Benefits of Crafts for People With Disabilities

Due to the variety of crafts and materials available, crafting can provide a relief from boredom for people with disabilities, albeit temporarily. 

To illustrate, a person with disability will be more likely to endure an hour or 2 of physical therapy several mornings a week if they're aware that they can look forward to cardmaking or knitting in the afternoon. 

If a person with disability has kept some of her hobbies, like reading, gardening, or solving puzzles, incorporating a craft project once or twice a week will provide structure to her schedule and can even relieve feelings of restlessness. 

Reduced Screen Time As A By-Product of People With Disabilities Engaging in Crafts 

Sometimes, mobility-related issues can leave people with disabilities to the confines of their own home. 

This can lead people with disabilities to excessive screen usage, like binge-watching TV shows or movies, or scrolling on their phones and other mobile devices. 

Getting motivated to work on a craft project, even if it's just for a few hours a week, can potentially reduce prolonged screen time for people with disabilities.

Additional Benefits of Crafts for People With Disabilities

People with disabilities may have lost some of their competence and skills. 

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And yet, tackling craft projects may lead people with disabilities to acquire or hone a whole new range of skills. 

Some of these skills include hand-eye coordination, manual dexterity, and being mindful of constraints regarding one's resources. 

Being mindful of one's constraints can lead to better time management and thinking outside the box.

Crafts As A Gateway Towards Financial Stability for People With Disabilities 

People with disabilities may sustain their interest in a certain craft, that over time, it turns into a regular hobby. 

And it's not exactly unheard-of for hobbyists to turn their avocation into a business. 

Making sale-able craft items or products can be a gateway for people with disabilities to achieve financial stability. 

Even if the business is operated or managed part-time first, a small taste of success or a string of small successes can pave the way towards bigger gains.