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Wiki source code of 1. Painting and Cognition

Last modified by Deepali Prabhu on 2023/03/05 17:27
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Deepali Prabhu 3.1 1 Individuals with dementia experience deteriorating cognitive abilities that hold them back from
2 performing activities that define their individuality and hence reduce their quality of life. For
3 people with dementia, participation in a meaningful occupation can promote quality of life (QoL),
4 facilitate communication and emotional expression, and enhance personal relationships [1]. Cre-
5 ating art can help people with dementia to express emotions, memories, and ideas that may
6 be difficult to put into words. It can also provide a sense of accomplishment and purpose, and
7 can help to alleviate boredom and social isolation. Although studies on art’s effects on the
8 brain are limited, research suggests that artistic engagement may help to ease common behav-
9 ioral symptoms of dementia like anxiety, agitation and depression[2][3]. Additionally, several
10 testimonies illustrate that creative processes are used to evoke memories, enable people to com-
11 municate about their experience [9], to reinforce identity , and to strengthen relationships with
12 their own family members, as well as with care personnel and others involved in the intervention
13 process[4]. However it is to note that people without formal art training can participate in art
14 related activities after being diagnosed with dementia.
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Deepali Prabhu 3.1 17 Painting in specific have shown to be beneficial in terms of reducing stress, improving expres-
18 siveness of an individual and helping them manage their emotions.The advantages are consid-
19 erably larger for elders suffering from dementia. Brain stimulation might deteriorate over time
20 if it is not consistently engaged. Painting demands concentration, which has significant benefits
21 for elders suffering from dementia. Painting, in reality, activates multiple regions and lobes of
22 the brain at the same time by activating both sides of the brain. Painting can help adults with
23 dementia make relationships and foster hobbies that might pierce through the cloud of memory
24 loss. However, this is based on the assumption that individuals with dementia are willing to and
25 can produce art and don’t have disabilities that hinder this activity.
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Deepali Prabhu 3.1 29 To aid patients of dementia using the help of art, the right level of intervention and skill of
30 the facilitator is necessary. Professionally trained artist may be unfamiliar with persons with
31 dementia, whereas an activity coordinator with dementia expertise may only have a rudimentary
32 grasp of the art they are enabling. While there is advancement in assistive technology for leisure
Deepali Prabhu 4.1 33 and cultural or arts-based activities, as of 2018, very few devices have been dedicated to these
Deepali Prabhu 3.1 34 pursuits as of yet
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37 References
38 [1] Valerie Leuty et al. “Engaging Older Adults with Dementia in Creative Occupations Using
39 Artificially Intelligent Assistive Technology”. In: Assistive technology : the official journal
40 of RESNA 25 (Apr. 2013), pp. 72–9. doi: 10.1080/10400435.2012.715113.
41 [2] Gill Livingston et al. “Non-pharmacological interventions for agitation in dementia: system-
42 atic review of randomised controlled trials”. In: The British Journal of Psychiatry 205.6
43 (2014), pp. 436–442.
44 [3] Jennifer Rusted, Linda Sheppard, and Diane Waller. “A multi-centre randomized control
45 group trial on the use of art therapy for older people with dementia”. In: Group Analysis
46 39.4 (2006), pp. 517–536.
47 [4] Justine Schneider. “The Arts as a Medium for Care and Self-Care in Dementia: Arguments
48 and Evidence”. In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 15.6
49 (2018). issn: 1660-4601. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15061151. url: https:~/~/www.mdpi.com/
50 1660-4601/15/6/1151.