How people with dementia can benefit from getting involved with the arts

Creative workshops in London are improving the cognition and confidence of people with early dementia. Wendy Jones explains

In the rehearsal room of the Tricycle Theatre in north London, a group of mainly elderly people gather in a circle for an improvisation session. They warm up by passing round claps, whooshes and Mexican waves and then move on to responding to each other’s ideas in tableaux (“you are the rain, so I will be an umbrella”). There is a mixture of enthusiasm and nervousness as the exercises speed up. Some have to work hard to shift their concentration quickly from one subject to another.

Those taking part are people in the early stages of dementia and their carers. It isn’t always easy to tell which is which at first. Among those with dementia are a former archaeologist, a bookbinder, a playwright. After the improvisation, they work in pairs on scripts they’re writing for a final performance.

Leonie Elliott, an actor leading the workshop, says participants go on a journey. “They’re given a situation – a conflict or a revelation – and they have to create character profiles. It’s challenging, but the majority like that and say ‘don’t let me give up’.”

The Tricycle workshops are one of 14 different activities within a London Arts Challenge run by Arts 4 Dementia as part of the Cultural Olympiad’s 2012 Inspire programme. There’s also art, music, dance, photography, poetry and stand-up comedy.

There are some impressive venues – the National Portrait Gallery, Cadogan Hall, the Wallace Collection. At Kenwood House, artist Michelle Leigh has been running a series of art workshops. She has taught in many adult education settings before but doesn’t often get to work alongside Vermeers and Rembrandts. “It’s a tremendous background – and a safe place to make art in. They’re learning new skills and new ways to learn, though many are also rediscovering skills they already have.”

Among her students, there’s a sense of confidence being boosted. Judy, a former fashion artist now living with Alzheimer’s, says: “My memory does slip. But this is fun. And it takes me back to what I used to do.” Catherine, working intently on a skilful likeness of a helper, says simply that she feels happier after an afternoon of art. Phil is more philosophical: “It’s much better than thinking the world’s going on and you’re not.”

Arts 4 Dementia’s founder and chief executive is art historian Veronica Franklin Gould. The idea grew after she saw how her mother, a former teacher who has dementia, responded to a Bach cello solo performed by a friend. “He played close to her and looked into her eyes. Her natural love of life returned, her love of music, education and people.”

Franklin Gould knew she was on to something. Arts activities were a feature of some care homes but there was relatively little for people with early dementia in the community. She wanted to offer a high-quality experience across a range of different art forms so, with advice from dementia care specialists, set up three pilot projects in music, art and poetry. These demonstrated the need for dementia training for arts educators and led to the current programme. The aim is to encourage the spread of UK-wide activities which will then be signposted from Arts 4 Dementia’s website.

She believes the arts have a special place in maximising cognition in dementia, with people continuing to respond aesthetically and imaginatively even as other abilities decline. But more than that, it’s about restoring dignity and respect. “We want to challenge people, not infantilise them,” she says. “We want them to get their sense of identity back and lead a fulfilled and social life as long as possible.”

An evaluation of the activities is being overseen by Professor Paul Camic, applied psychology research director at Canterbury Christ Church University. He points out that people with dementia often pull back from social engagement for fear of embarrassment. “Their social circle shrinks, this leads to a decrease in cognitive stimulation and people get written off. It’s a very vicious spiral.”

He says the arts provide a socially accessible intervention – a normal activity that the person with dementia and their carer can do together and that adds to the quality of both their lives. There is evidence too of short-term benefits such as enhanced communication. But, says Camic, it’s early days for research into arts intervention and a controlled large-scale study is needed.

“If we could get a health economist to show this can keep someone out of a care home for even a month longer, it would be snapped up by health authorities,” he predicts.

Meanwhile, support has come from Baroness Greengross, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on dementia, who has proposed that arts activities should be recommended to care managers and patients on diagnosis, as part of a package of care and support.

Wendy Jones is a freelance journalist and a trustee of Arts 4 Dementia.