Residents at The Willows of Living Branches create mural for Souderton Mennonite Homes

Residents at The Willows of Living Branches spent weeks creating a 7-foot tactile mural that will be permanently displayed at Souderton Mennonite Homes’ Memory Care neighborhood.

Depicting a farm scene with cotton ball clouds, sandy pathways, and a red barn with a working door, the mural was a collaborative project between residents at The Willows and Temple University art therapy interns Jenna Rosenblatt and Julie Vasquez.

“Creating the mural was a labor of love,” said Christina Paul, life enrichment coordinator for The Willows. “From the initial idea to the planning process to actually creating each piece with our art therapy interns, seeing the mural come together has been so encouraging for our residents. We hope Souderton Mennonite Homes residents enjoy it as much as we have.”

The mural will be unveiled in Park View, the Memory Care community for Personal Care residents at Souderton Mennonite Homes, 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 9.

“Tactile, interactive experiences are wonderful for residents with dementia,” said Annette Echanis, director of resident engagement for Living Branches. “The mural fits right into the Montessori approach to care: residents at The Willows were empowered to take on the aspects they felt able and eager to do, and Souderton Mennonite Homes residents will be able to enjoy and engage with the finished product.”

The creative process was aided by Rosenblatt and Vasquez, both spring graduates of Temple University’s art therapy program. The two spent their spring semester at The Willows, working with seniors on various art projects, including the mural.

“We’ve been delighted to have them as art therapy interns,” Paul said. “They’ve helped many residents tap into their creative sides.”

The original idea for the mural came when Paul discovered a 7-foot-by-3-foot framed canvas in a storage room at The Willows. Paul drew on her background in fine arts to sketch out the initial plan for the mural, involving residents at The Willows at each step along the way.

After weeks painting the various pieces of the mural and creating the interactive elements that were glued to the canvas, Paul attached thrifted shutters that lend the illusion of looking through a farmhouse window.

“We love how nicely it captures the farming and rural landscapes that are familiar to residents who grew up and lived in the Indian Valley,” Echanis said.

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