Retaining identity: Creativity and caregiving

Abstract

Arts programming for people living with dementia and their caregivers has gained popularity as a way to provide opportunities for social interaction, expression, and continual learning. The goal of the present study, referred to as Retaining Identity: Creativity & Caregiving is to: (1) describe the process of designing and implementing a structured art experience for people living with memory loss and their co-residing caregiver; and (2) to summarize feedback provided by caregivers at the conclusion of the program. Retaining Identity is an eight-week program offered by professional artists who instructed dementia caregivers in four visual art activities, which they then taught to their care recipient. The program was designed for individuals with no art experience and the art projects were carefully developed to be engaging for both people living with dementia and their caregivers. The evaluation process included a qualitative survey completed by the caregivers to measure the impact of the program on the caregiver/care recipient relationship. The main themes that emerged from the survey were: caregiver growth, caregiver awareness, and creative discovery. The participants’ artwork supports that art making has the potential to encourage an equitable exchange and outcome for people with memory loss and their caregivers. Although the survey is limited in scope, the results support the use of the arts to positively impact caregivers and their relationship with their care recipient.