This document provides an overview of art therapy with aging populations, particularly those with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. It discusses how art therapy can engage areas of the brain not damaged by these conditions. While short-term memory is lost, emotional memory remains intact, and art provides a way to access those memories. The creative process itself can help reduce anxiety, agitation and improve mood. Several art techniques and materials are described that are appropriate and beneficial for older adults, such as collage, drawing, and texture activities. Close facilitation and a non-judgmental focus on the process rather than products is emphasized.
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1. Art Therapy with an Aging Population
Creative Applications with the Elderly
Shannon Halligan, Licensed Creative Arts Therapist
3. Facts about Alzheimers Disease
Alzheimers disease or some other form of Dementia
affects an estimated 24 million people worldwide.
Imagination is still intact even in advanced Alzheimers.
International Alzheimers experts agree that creative
activities engage areas of the brain that are not
damaged by the disease and reawaken a sense of
personality, identity and dignity.
4. Effects of Alzheimers Disease
Short-term memory loss.
Loss of procedural memory, how to perform daily tasks.
Confusion, getting lost in familiar places.
Often characterized by the four As: anxiety, agitation,
aggression and apathy.
5. Memory and Alzheimers
Scientists are finding that most memories are stored as
images and are not destroyed by Alzheimers.
Alzheimers doesnt take away memory; the part of the brain
affected by Alzheimers is the part that gives you access to
memory.
6. What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy uses the creative process of art making to improve and
enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals
of all ages.
It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic
self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems,
develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress,
increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.
-American Art Therapy Association
7. What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy uses the creative process of art making to improve and
enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals
of all ages.
It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic
self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems,
develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress,
increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.
-American Art Therapy Association
8. What is Art Therapy?
Art Therapy uses the creative process of art making to improve and
enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals
of all ages.
It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic
self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems,
develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress,
increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.
-American Art Therapy Association
9. Art Therapy/Creative Arts is Not not:
Art Therapy is not about being a great artist. You do not have
to be an artist to benefit from art therapy. You also do have
to be an artist to offer creative arts programs.
Art Therapy is not about learning skills, but enjoying the
process of being creative. Skills are often gained but thats not
the core aspect of art therapy.
Is not arts and crafts, or art education, art therapy can be
any activity that has a therapeutic purpose.
10. Art washes from the soul the dust
of everyday life -Pablo Picasso
People dont need short-term memory to enjoy art.
Art can decrease the four As that characterize Alzheimers
disease: anxiety, aggression, agitation and apathy.
Emotional memory comes alive even in the face of
Alzheimers.
Feelings people have had before resurface and they can
relate them to events and people earlier in their lives.
11. Benefits of Creative Arts
Improves Concentration, focus.
Promotes independence and independent choice making.
Alternative way to communicate. Art allows one to communicate in a non-
verbal way.
Better Behavior: Promotes relaxation, improves mood and decreases
disruptive behavior.
Art projects can help open lines of communication and expression, as
well as provide a sense of accomplishment.
Closer relationships: Increases socialization, decreases isolation.
13. Why Art?
To enjoy a movie, one needs to
remember the beginning to
understand the end.
With an image or painting, its all there
to experience at once in the moment.
Art can increase opportunities for joy in
the MOMENT.
New York Movie,
Edward Hopper, 1939
MOMA
15. Research
Dr. Oliver Sacks, Professor of Psychology and Neurology, studies Alzheimer's at
Columbia University.
Dr. Sacks wrote the book, Awakenings, and the movie is based on his work with
Alzheimers patients.
Theorizes that music and art engage parts of the brain that govern procedural
memory, which controls routine physical activities. He believes that these brain
centers remain intact long after the onset of the disease.
Nietzsche used to say that we listened to music with our muscles, he said. The
question is whether a similar mechanism is at work in making and looking at art.
16. I remember better when I paint.
Actress Rita Hayworth suffered from
Alzheimers Disease later in her life.
She chose painting to soothe and relax her.
This film documents the benefits of creative arts for
people with Alzheimers/Dementia:
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=54AtoQVGfwU&featur
e=related
18. Pre-planning and Materials
Art materials have qualities associated with them.
Materials evoke emotional reactions.
There should be careful consideration when planning art activities.
19. I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say
any other way - things I had no words for ~ Georgia OKeeffe
Georgia O'Keeffe
20. Colors Have Feelings
Colors have emotions associated with them.
Simple Color Association Activities:
Show participants single color sheets and have them name a
feeling/emotion that they associate with it.
Example: Blue: Sad/Calm, Red: Love/Anger, Yellow:
Happiness, White: Peace, Healing.
21. Examples of Art Materials
Collage: Structured, controlled. Allows person to choose pictures rather than drawing; can
help ease the transition into making artwork. Excellent with cognitive deficits.
Pastels: Less controlled. Can be blended and used for shading.
Drawing: Pencils, Colored pencils, markers: Dry materials are the safest art medium.
Colors are emotional. Allow for control and fine detail.
Provide template to begin such as a outline of a shape or item.
Paint: Somewhat regressive medium, encourages expression of feelings by blending colors
and brush strokes. Example: finger paint is more regressive than painting with a brush.
Paint with various applicators: sponges, Q-tips, rollers, foam brushes, etc. Regressive
means that is can cause a person to return to an earlier state, such as a child-like state of
behavior.
Clay: very regressive material. Tactile quality provides for free association. Can be
primitive. Can be built, destroyed, and rebuilt, as well as encourage play and storytelling.
22. Qualities of Art Materials
When planning art projects for groups, start with simple
materials, then work your way up to more complex materials.
Do not introduce wet and regressive materials for first
activities.
Dry Materials: pencils, colored pencils, pastels, fabric,
collage, markers.
Wet Materials: Paint, watercolor, etc.
Regressive Materials: clay, messy projects. [example]
23. I dont know what I am doing, but I
am doing it!
[Story]
Her hands remembered when the familiar materials were in
hand.
Use familiar materials in unique ways. For example, wrap yarn
around wood frames, decorate with buttons, costume jewelry,
etc.
24. Touch and Memory
Promote recall of memories using textures.
Tactile items have qualities that remind participants of things
experienced in their lives.
Textures may include: smooth, rough, soft, hard, bumpy, silky,
fuzzy.
Examples of textured items: marbles, beads, wire, yarn,
ribbon, sandpaper, foam, cotton, velvet, silk, rice, beans,
seashells, wood, clay.
29. Guidelines for Art Making: Basics
Choose projects that only require basic instruction and assistance.
Model how to use materials.
Avoid toxic substances and sharp tools (Safety)
Mid to high quality materials such as fine art markers, pencils, watercolor
papers, etc.
There are good quality art materials that arent designed for kids, avoid Crayola
or things that make participants feel like children.
Focus on the process not the final product.
30. Tips and Techniques: Exploration
Not all art projects have to have to have a final product.
Art Therapy is about the process of art-making. Focus on the emotions,
feelings, ideas that come from doing something with your hands.
Use textured fabrics, in bold colors and patterns.
Pass fabrics around, have people explore with their hands.
Explore ribbons, yarns, lace, etc.
31. Guidelines for Art Making:
The Process
Allow participants the choice to just watch instead of participating.
Use images to spark discussion, facial expressions or emotions.
Build conversation into the project by initiating storytelling.
Comment on dedication to process, rather than judgements of final
product and using words such as beautiful, pretty, nice, etc.
Comment on behaviors and process such as working hard, using lots of
colors, etc.
Have them work together, assemble a final product.
Decrease opportunities for judgement.
32. Guidelines for Helping
Help the person begin the activity.
Provide encouragement.
Provide enough time to complete the project or the opportunity to
complete the project in another session.
Avoid doing for. If the task is complex, break into smaller steps.
Allow participants to do the parts that they can. One
participant may be able to cut, while another may be able to just choose a
color of paper.
The artwork is complete when the person says it is.
34. Art Activities
Fabric Art: Layering, Painting over, quilting with glue or safety
needles and yarn.
Tactile interesting pieces, assembled together.
Adult coloring sheets: mandalas, Zentangles, etc.
Color shapes, color mixing, form.
Instead of a blank white sheet of paper, give them a piece in the
shape of a circle, star, flower, etc.
44. Tips and Techniques
Still life: use vase of flowers or
arrangement of real items.
*Drawing from real life is easier
than drawing from photos
Work on table easels
instead of flat on tables.
Break down items such as flowers into shapes: circles, ovals,
bell, square, etc.
46. Art History
Show art history images of famous painters: Impressionists
(Monet, Van Gogh, Degas, etc.), Renaissance (DaVinci,
Michelangelo, etc.)
Ask participants what they see in the paintings, what the
people are doing, where they are going, etc.
Begin a narrative description and write down what the
participants say on a large sheet of paper. The final product is
a collection of their thoughts.
49. Mens Groups
Wood working, building, hands on.
Use glue instead of sharp tools, make a simple box
frame and then they can add details instead of building
from scratch.
Practical projects that have a useful purpose.
Fixing objects, make them feel like they are helping.
Looking at images of design, tables, shelves, garden
boxes, etc.
51. Altered Images:
A picture is worth a thousand words . . .
He is a spiffy man from
Broadway and she is a
plain girl with no make-
up. She is wearing a
fancy hat, black bathing
suit and slippers. They
are on the beach
because they want to
show off their outfits!
52. Altered Images
Ask questions like:
Did you ever wear a coat like this?
Did you ever ride in a car like this?
Where were you going?
What is the person doing?
What are they thinking about?
These type of questions can help a person with Alzheimers bring back
happy memories. *There are no wrong answers.
Sometimes the subconscious process is often expressed in artwork...
things that can no longer be described in words.
53. Other Forms of Art
Music: Live music, recordings, cds, percussion instruments, etc.
Gallery/Museum Visits
Movement and Dance: simple movements in chair or standing. Motion
can decrease agitation.
Invite local artists, historians to discuss and show local artwork.
Utilize strengths of volunteers/students/community members to share
their knowledge of creative arts with your participants.
55. Working with Resistance
Why are people reluctant?
Fear
Self-consciousness
Memory issues.
Cognitive issues
Depression/Anxiety.
Medical issues that cause fatigue, illness, etc.
People may verbally refuse and say they cannot do something, or try to
get you to do it for them.
Positive, calm encouragement works best to promote independence and
interaction.
56. Working with Fear
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.
~Pablo Picasso
What would you make if you had no fear?
Children are natural artists as they do not have the fear of
failure and self-consciousness that adults do.
Elderly people may be able to dive in more often that we
expect, especially if they are not afraid of looking silly.
Role-model activities, they will be more likely to try
something if they observe you doing it.
57. What Is the Point of Creative Arts?
Promotes quality of life.
Allows people to live in the here and now, enjoy the present
moment.
Allows people to take a break from limitations and
frustrations.
They may not remember the experience, but will remember
the feelings it evokes.
Allows people to retain their dignity.
58. Resources
MOMA (Museum of Modern Art)
Meet Me at MoMA is one of about a dozen such programs in the U.S.
in which the museum closes for a time in order to allow their
Alzheimers guests to focus on the works of art without the distraction
or anxiety that might be generated by other viewers around them.
Musicophilia: Dr. Oliver Sacks [http://www.oliversacks.com]
For information about the Alzheimers Associations art therapy
program Memories in the Making,
visit: http://thememoriesinthemaking.com
59. Hands-on Activity:
Reaching for the Stars
Side 1: Write/draw a memory that you cherish, that you want to always
remember.
Write words but add a few images, symbols, simple sketches.
On backside, write one way in which you will be more creative in your
programming with older adults.
When complete, hole punch and hang with other stars for inspiration.
60. For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the
sight of the stars makes me dream.
Vincent Van Gogh
THANK YOU!