Art Therapy For Alzheimer's

Why art therapy for Alzheimer’s? “A wealth of research has demonstrated that participation in creative activities promotes health and well being by stimulating curiosity and self-evaluation, by encouraging individuals to express themselves in meaningful ways, and by affirming their dignity and self-worth.” So sure are the authors of this quote in the power of art therapy that they created The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care, which “aims to disseminate knowledge and establish ties with dementia care organisations worldwide, thereby improving the quality of life for people with dementia.” There is indeed a wealth of research, as well as anecdotal support for the confidence that the Society for the Arts has in the positive affects creative activity has for the person with dementia. An excerpt from the documentary film I Remember Better When I Paint demonstrates this affect; to see otherwise despondent people come to life, become active and social and verbal, is nothing short of amazing. Please take the time to view this three minute clip, or come back to it when you have time. It will convince you that an art program will benefit the individual with Alzheimer’s disease, possibly in a very big way. Video: I remember better when I paint Why this video? No drugs yet exist that can effectively prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease. What recourse, then, for the millions of people who suffer from this terrible degenerative disease, which causes a progressive decline of cognitive skills, memory loss, and withdrawal? It is becoming increasingly evident – initiatives that help people with Alzheimer’s get involved in art and other creative activity obtain surprising results. Scientists have discovered that Alzheimer’s disease normally spares, to a very large extent, the parts of the brain related to emotions, creativity and creative expression. Neurologists — including several who are interviewed in the documentary — recognize the benefits of non-pharmacological therapies. Nonetheless, only a very small percentage of nursing homes and care facilities are yet making effective use of these approaches, and the film urges that an extensive effort now be made to share these positive approaches and hopeful possibilities. From I Remember Better When I Paint Art Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that affects the brain in a predictable way. It begins in the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for creating memories from experiences. From there it moves to the front of the brain where language is processed and the executive functions like decision making take place. From there it moves to the logic center where problem solving and planning are controlled. Emotions and creativity remain viable for a much longer time. By stimulating these areas we can make connections in a way that we may have thought were lost forever. By allowing the individual with Alzheimer’s to communicate using emotional and creative centers of the brain, rather than logical and memory centers, it will become less obvious that he or she is even affected by the disease. Two Ways to Enjoy Art Therapy for Alzheimer’s We can create our own art or music or stories, or we can enjoy those things that others have created. Both activities can provide an enjoyable diversion for any of us, and both are therapeutic for the person with Alzheimer’s disease. Strictly speaking, art therapy involves the creation of art, as seen in these various definitions: National Institutes of Health: Art therapy is a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. Art Therapy Credentials Board: Art therapy is a human service profession in which clients, facilitated by the art therapist, use art media, the creative process, and the resulting artwork to explore their feelings, reconcile emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, manage behavior, develop social skills, improve reality orientation, reduce anxiety, and increase self-esteem. American Medical Association and Health Professions Network: Art therapists use drawing, painting, and other art processes to assess and treat clients with emotional, cognitive, physical, and/or developmental needs and disorders. American Art Therapy Association: Art therapy is the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma, or challenges in living, and by people who seek personal development. Through creating art and reflecting on the art products and processes, people can increase awareness of self and others, cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences; enhance cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art. A common thread in the definitions above is the benefit that creating art has on the emotional and the physical well-being of the individual Yellow Flower Floating in a Pond – A painting by a participant in the Memories in the Making program who is doing the creating. These definitions are written with a general public in mind, but art therapy affects an Alzheimer’s population in a similar way; that is, there are marked improvements to the emotional and physical well-being of the individual. We take a broader, what-works approach to art therapy for people with Alzheimer’s disease. Enjoying art has similar emotional and physical affects and so we include that, not only as a viable form, but as a powerful form of art therapy for people who have Alzheimer’s disease. Creating Art as Therapy for Alzheimer’s Painting and drawing, even sculpting, are common hobbies. All are excellent ways to relax, but creating art is more than just a recreational pastime. Art provides a way to reach inside ourselves, to put on paper or some other medium, a representation of thoughts and feelings that we may not be able to express in any other way. Sometimes words fail us. Language is affected fairly early in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. If you provide care for a person who has Alzheimer’s you have probably, at one time or another, seen him (or her) struggle to find the words to say what he wants to say. The idea is there. He has the desire to communicate that idea to you. He just can’t get the word out. We have all at one time or another felt that the word we need to relate a thought is “on the tip of my tongue”. We just can’t get it out. Imagine this feeling magnified ten- or twenty-fold, and you will start to share the frustration of a person with Alzheimer’s.