AARP Creative Refresh

Small moments
that restore you.

One small activity, texted to you daily.
No pressure. You decide if today’s the day.

Caregivers are already carrying a lot. Creative Refresh gives you simple ways to make a little more room for yourself, whether you have 2 minutes or 20. For 21 days, we'll text you one small activity each day to help make caring for yourself part of your routine, not another thing on your list.

Sign up for freeNo download required

How it Works

Built for your caregiving reality.

This isn’t one more thing to manage, it’s a small, flexible way to make the most of moments for yourself. You’re in control. Change it anytime.

01

Tell us what fits your life

Tell us how much time you have, what interests you, who you want to include, and what you're hoping to get from the experience. We'll curate 21 days of activities that fit.

02

Get one idea a day by text

Each text includes a short affirmation and one simple activity, usually just 3-10 minutes. Many don't need any special materials or skills. Try it that day, save it for later, skip it, or simply take a little inspiration from it. There's no "right" way to do this, it's just for you.

03

It learns what works for you

The more you engage, the more personalized your texts get. Over time, you'll also see insights into what's actually working, for you, in your life.

Try it today

Try An Activity

Take a minute. Feel the difference.

Take a few minutes and try it for yourself by clicking one of the sample activities below.

These are just a taste of the 100+ activities and resources in the library, all designed with caregivers in mind. There's something for whatever time and energy you have, whether you want a quick moment for yourself, something to share, or a chance to get back to something you used to enjoy.

I want to...
Journal with Prompts

Journal with Prompts

Time5-10 minutes
MaterialsNo materials needed
Good forSolo
Level of effort
Play Intentional Music

Play Intentional Music

Time5-10 minutes
MaterialsNo materials needed
Good forSolo or Shared
Level of effort
Create a Self-Care Moment

Create a Self-Care Moment

Time5-10 minutes
MaterialsNo materials needed
Good forSolo
Level of effort
Document a Conversation

Document a Conversation

Time5-10 minutes
MaterialsNo materials needed
Good forShared
Level of effort
Cook a Family Recipe

Cook a Family Recipe

Time15-30 minutes
MaterialsEveryday materials
Good forSolo or Shared
Level of effort
Write a Letter

Write a Letter

Time5-10 minutes
MaterialsNo materials needed
Good forSolo or Shared
Level of effort
Do a Photo Color Walk

Do a Photo Color Walk

Time10-15 minutes
MaterialsNo materials needed
Good forSolo or Shared
Level of effort
Make Sticky Note Origami Hearts

Make Sticky Note Origami Hearts

Time5-10 minutes
MaterialsEveryday materials
Good forSolo or Shared
Level of effort
Do a Guided Meditative Doodling

Do a Guided Meditative Doodling

Time5-10 minutes
MaterialsEveryday materials
Good forSolo
Level of effort
Try a Guided Micro-Meditation

Try a Guided Micro-Meditation

Time5-10 minutes
MaterialsNo materials needed
Good forSolo
Level of effort

100+ ways to take a moment for yourself

From 2-minute resets to longer creative activities, explore drawing, cooking, music, movement, relaxation, nature, and connection. Find something that fits the time and energy you have today.

Explore the full library

Made for Caregivers Like You

Real caregivers. Real moments.

We asked real caregivers to give it a try for 21 days and here is what they had to say.

“The whole program surprised me, I liked it more than I thought. I'm not the most crafty person, I'd normally say no, no, no to any of the drawing stuff. It took me out of my comfort zone. And by the end, I thought: maybe I am a little more creative than I thought I was.”

Holly
Caregiving contextCaregiver for her mother and others
Favorite activityDrawing and doodling

“The first week I realized I had more free time that was just daydreaming or scrolling. If I have 20 or 30 minutes to scroll, I can actually paint. I feel really optimistic about how I can get more energized from doing the things I love.”

Dizaree
Caregiving contextCaregiver for her mother
Favorite activityMindful movement

“Before this, every visit we'd sit there and stare at each other. How you feeling? You taking your medicine? That was it. We got into a rut. This gave us the ideas to do a massive amount of new things - together! 21 days ago, I was talking about wills and estate planning. Now I'm talking with her about her recipe box, her photos, her smile.”

Thomas
Caregiving contextCaregiver for his mother
Favorite activityCreating connection with loved ones

“There were things I didn't want to do, but needed to do, like going through mom's recipe boxes, documenting a conversation with dad. You don't want to make time for it. It's like going to the gym: you don't want to go, and then afterwards you feel good about it. Even the things I thought I would hate, I enjoyed them.”

Yvette
Caregiving contextCaring for father and son
Favorite activityPhotography and documenting conversations
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Frequently asked questions

  • No. Both AARP members and non-members who are caregivers 18+ are welcome to participate.

  • No app or download needed. You’ll get one text every day for 21 days with a small creative activity tailored to what you tell us about yourself. Try it when you have time, or skip it when you don’t.

    You’ll also be able to explore a personal library of creative activities online, where you can find more ideas, save favorites or activities you want to try, and reflect on what helps you de-stress and feel more like yourself.

  • Yes. For the first 21 days, you’ll receive one text each day to help you build a rhythm and routine. You can pause or stop the texts at any time.

    After 21 days, you can choose how often you’d like to receive activities going forward. Some caregivers choose to keep getting a daily activity, while others scale back to a couple of ideas a week, or take a break and get a reminder to try the experience again in a few months.

  • Creative Refresh is built around something we heard often from caregivers: it can be hard to make time for yourself when you’re balancing so much. Activities are designed to realistically fit into busy days. Most take just a few minutes and use little to no materials.

    You’ll find everything from drawing, cooking, and music to relaxation, movement, nature, and connection. Most activities are simply for you, while some can fit into caregiving moments too, bringing a little more ease, creativity, or connection into everyday care.

    This 21-day experience is meant to fit into your caregiving experience. Explore what works for you, whether that’s reconnecting with yourself or old passions, inviting in friends or family, or sharing activities with the person you care for.

  • We use what you tell us during onboarding, along with how you interact with activities and the Creative Library over time, to make your experience more personal.

    As you save activities or share reflections, we can suggest more of what seems to work for you and may also text you insights based on your reflections to help you notice patterns over time.

    You can opt out at any time or ask us to delete your account and data. Your information is never shared with third-party advertisers or data brokers.

Give it a try

Find what works for you.

Creative Refresh is a free 21-day experience designed to help you try small, creative moments of care and discover what works for you.

Sign up for free