CARVING WELL-BEING: A Pilot Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of a Community Woodcarving Program for Older Adults

Creative crafts may support healthy aging, yet evidence for woodcarving is limited. We evaluated a 12-week woodcarving program (Baobab Studio method) using a quasi-experimental pre-post design in a municipal social care center. 31 older adults (mean age 75; 74% female) attended ≥10/12 sessions and completed WHOQOL-BREF, STAI, GDS-15, and CD-RISC-10. Paired t-tests showed improved quality of life (physical and psychological domains), while social and environmental domains were stable. Anxiety and depressive symptoms decreased, resilience increased, and mood improved within sessions. These pilot findings support woodcarving as a feasible, low-cost, non-pharmacological community intervention; controlled studies are warranted.