The Arts as a Medium for Care in Dementia

The Arts as a Medium for Care and Self-Care in Dementia: Arguments and Evidence

• People with dementia usually enjoy participating in art, whether actively creating art or as an appreciative audience. 2. The arts can remain accessible despite memory loss because of their multi-sensory nature and the possibility of experiencing art in the moment irrespective of prior knowledge or associations. 3. Carers—both professional and family supporters—get double benefit from arts interventions; their own enjoyment as participants, and that of seeing their charges enlivened or soothed. 4. The wider community benefits from the fostering of cultural capital in any segment of society, including older people with dementia. 5. Art does little harm, indeed it often fosters social interaction and a sense of belonging.

Citation: Schneider, J. (2018). The arts as a medium for care and self-care in dementia: arguments and evidence. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(6), 1151.