Dementia and Imagination
Understanding the impact of visual arts activities for people living with dementia.
It is estimated that there are 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK.
Statistics from Alzheimer’s Society (2015) alzheimers.org.uk/statistics
By 2025 it is said that this figure will rise to 1 million.
There is no cure for dementia.
However, there are many things that can ensure people still have a good quality of life whilst living with dementia.
Our research examines the personal, social, practical and economic benefits of creating art.
This film illustrates a phase of the research where people living with dementia took part in creative activities led by professional artists.
DR GILL WINDLE:
Senior Research Fellow
[00:00:57] The project is really important because it’s the first of its kind to see a programme of work that combines arts, science and public engagement to investigate questions such as how art can be effective.
This is Barry’s Story
Barry attended one of the Dementia and Imagination art groups held in community venues.
BARRY:
Dementia & Imagination Participant
[00:01:21] Colour, green that’s my favourite colour, always has been, I don’t know why.
MARY:
Dementia & Imagination Participant
[No speech]
The arts can make a valuable contribution to dementia care – taking part in stimulating activities with social interaction can be beneficial.
[00:01:37] Well done.
[00:01:37] I didn’t retire until was seventy-two and now it’s come I’ve got dementia which is slowly turning into – what’s the other one? Alzheimer’s.
SIÂN HUGHES:
Artist
[00:02:01] People will always say “I can’t do art” and they qualify that by saying “I can’t paint and I can’t draw”.
[00:02:09] Very quickly they get absorbed and they’ve forgotten that they told you that they couldn’t do art and they weren’t creative at all, and suddenly something’s been created.
The project is investigating whether taking part in visual art activities can help people to ‘live well’ with dementia.
PRESENTER:
[00:02:27] Do you consider yourself and artist?
BARRY:
[00:02:29] No.
Over 12 weeks, Barry took part in viewing, discussing art and making art in a group with people who had never created art before.
At the end of the twelve weeks, the group came together for a celebration event and exhibition.
The exhibition was curated by the group – participants guided the artists as to where to put up the work.
Some of the work Barry had made was on display.
SIÂN HUGHES:
[00:02:55] Dementia is often perceived as a sense of loss, you know, people talk about loss of memory, loss of a sense of self, loss of the person they were, which all sounds very down beat and very negative, but from my experience as an artist all I know is that in the group they are tremendously engaged, tremendously creative.
BARRY:
[00:03:18] When we come none of us could do anything.
[00:03:20] When you see it, if you see it, you’ll burst out laughing.
[00:03:24] But in my own little way I’m quite pleased with what I’ve done.
DR GILL WINDLE:
[00:03:30] We really hope that service commissioners will recognise through our research the value of such activities and then be able to offer them through their mainstream service delivery.
Dementia and Imagination is a collaboration between:
Bangor University (lead organisation)
Manchester Metropolitan University
Newcastle University
Goldsmiths, University of London
Swansea University
Denbighshire County Council Arts Service
Equal Arts
Nottingham Contemporary
Age Watch
Derbyshire Community Health Trust
Dementia and Imagination is jointly funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the Economic and Social Research Council under the Connected Communities programme.