Dementia and Imagination
The impact of visual arts activities on people living with dementia.
About the research project
Participants attended a series of 12 weekly arts activities. The activities took place in three parts of the UK:
- North East of England (where participants lived in care homes)
- Derbyshire (where participants were in hospital settings)
- North Wales (where participants lived at home and the activities took place in local cultural venues)
The project team came from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. Using a mixed methods approach, impact was considered in respect of:
- positive wellbeing
- quality of life
- social connectivity
There was also a strand of public engagement activity throughout the project.
Dementia and imagination research findings
The Newcastle University team focused on the qualitative data. The sessions were designed to be forward-looking. But participants drew on personal and shared historical narratives to engage in the activities.
The results suggest that the activities:
- supported the resilience of the participants
- allowed them to express a narrative identity
- supported (embodied) communication between participants and carers
- had an impact on carers. This could influence how the carers responded to the person with dementia in the future.
To find our more, visit: http://dementiaandimagination.org.uk/.
Research team
- Gill Windle – Bangor University
- Andrew Newman – Newcastle University
- Dave O'Brien – Edinburgh University
- Vanessa Burholt – The University of Auckland
- Clive Parkinson – Manchester Metropolitan University
- Dave O'Brien – Edinburgh University West London
- Bob Woods – Bangor University
- Rhiannon Tudor – Bangor University
(Non-academic) partners
The non-academic partners were:
- Age Watch
- Alzheimer's Society
- Arts Council of Wales
- Denbighshire County Council
- Engage, Derbyshire Community Health Service
- Equal Arts
- BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art
- Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums
- National Institute for Health
- Nottingham Contemporary