This study seeks to assess the impact of a pottery workshop as a creative arts programme and discover the extent to which people with dementia taking part in an artistic and creative activity engage with it, experience a feeling of well-being, and improve their mood state. In addition, the study will seek to answer the question of whether taking part in a programme of creative activities improves the self-esteem of people with dementia.
Method
The research used an uncontrolled, repeated measures design. Thirty users of the National Reference Centre for Alzheimer’s and Dementia care in Salamanca (Spain) in a moderate to advanced stage of dementia (Global Deterioration Scale 4, 5, or 6) were divided into five intervention groups that received ten 45-minute sessions in which they were helped by facilitators to make different ceramic pieces. The participants were assessed before and after the intervention with a self-esteem scale, and they rated their mood before and after the sessions on a graphic scale. During the art sessions, two observers recorded the presence of multiple indicators of well-being.
Results
The intervention was found to have a significant impact on mood and self-esteem that was independent of the participants’ Global Deterioration Scale. Regarding the tool used to observe well-being, the participants scored highly in the domains of sustained attention, pleasure, self-esteem, and normalcy, with low scores in negative affect and sadness.
Conclusions
Pottery may be a highly suitable activity for people with dementia, as they may enjoy both the activity and the creative process, with it triggering a positive mood during the sessions, providing psychological well-being and reinforcing their self-esteem.
AbramowitzK. (2013). The unstructured use of clay in art therapy with older adults. Canadian Art Therapy Association Journal, 26(1), 1–12. DOI: 10.1080/08322473.2013.11415574.
2.
AllanK.KillickJ. (2000). Undiminished possibility: The arts in dementia care. Journal of Dementia Care, 8, 16–18.
3.
BastingA. D.KillickJ. (2003). The arts and dementia care: A resource guide. Brooklyn, NY: National Center for Creative Aging.
4.
BeardR. L. (2011). Art therapies and dementia care: A systematic review. Dementia, 11(5), 633–656. DOI: 10.1177/1471301211421090.
5.
CamicP. M.TischlerV.PearmanC. H. (2013). Viewing and making art together: A multi-session art-gallery-based intervention for people with dementia and their carers. Aging & Mental Health, 18(2), 161–168. DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2013.818101.
6.
ChancellorB.DuncanA.ChatterjeeA. (2014). Art therapy for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 39(1), 1–11. DOI: 10.3233/JAD-131295.
7.
De MedeirosK.BastingA. (2014). “Shall I compare thee to a dose of donepezil?”: Cultural arts interventions in dementia care research. The Gerontologist, 54(3), 344–353. DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnt055.
8.
de MoraisA. H.DalécioM. A. N.VizmannS.BuenoV. L. R. D. C.RoeckerS.SalvagioniD. A. J.ElerG. J. (2014). Effect on scores of depression and anxiety in psychiatric patients after clay work in a day hospital. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 41(2), 205–210. DOI: 10.1016/j.aip.2014.02.002.
9.
Doric-HenryL. (1997). Pottery as art therapy with elderly nursing home residents. Art Therapy, 14(3), 163–171. DOI: 10.1080/07421656.1987.10759277.
10.
EekelaarC.CamicP. M.SpringhamN. (2012). Art galleries, episodic memory and verbal fluency in dementia: An exploratory study. Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, 6(3), 262–272. DOI: 10.1037/a0027499.
11.
Elkis-AbuhoffD.GoldblattR. B.GaydosM.CorratoS. (2008). Effects of clay manipulation on somatic dysfunction and emotional distress in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Art Therapy, 25(3), 122–128. DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2008.10129596.
12.
FlattJ. D.LiptakA.OakleyM. A.GoganJ.VarnerT.LinglerJ. H. (2015). Subjective experiences of an art museum engagement activity for persons with early Alzheimer’s disease and their family caregivers. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, 30(4), 380–389. DOI: 10.1177/1533317514549953.
13.
FolsteinM. F.FolsteinS. E.McHughP. R. (1975). “Mini-mental state”: A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 12(3), 189–198. DOI: 10.1016/0022-3956(75)90026-6.
14.
GenoeM. R.LiechtyT. (2016). Meanings of participation in a leisure arts pottery programme. World Leisure Journal, 59(2), 91–104. DOI: 10.1080/16078055.2016.1212733.
15.
GrossS. M.DanilovaD.VandeheyM. A.DiekhoffG. M. (2015). Creativity and dementia: Does artistic activity affect well-being beyond the art class?Dementia, 14(1), 27–46. DOI: 10.1177/1471301213488899.
16.
GwytherL. (1997). The perspective of the person with Alzheimer disease: Which outcomes matter in early to middle stages of dementia?Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders, 11, 18–24.
17.
HattoriH.HattoriC.HokaoC.MizushimaK.MaseT. (2011). Controlled study on the cognitive and psychological effect of coloring and drawing in mild Alzheimer’s disease patients. Geriatrics & Gerontology International, 11(4), 431–437. DOI: 10.1111/j.1447-0594.2011.00698.x.
18.
HumphreyJ.MontemuroM.CokerE.Kilgour-WalshL.MorosK.MurrayC.StannersS. (2017). Artful moments: A framework for successful engagement in an arts-based programme for persons in the middle to late stages of dementia. Dementia. DOI: 10.1177/1471301217744025.
19.
JennyS.OropezaM. (1993). Memories in the making: A program of creative art expression for Alzheimer patients. Irvine, CA: Alzheimer’s Association of Orange County.
20.
JonesF.WarrenA.McElroyS. (2006). Home-based art therapy for older adults with mental health needs: Views of clients and caregivers. Art Therapy, 23(2), 52–58. DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2006.10129640.
21.
Kahn-DenisK. B. (1997). Art therapy with geriatric dementia clients. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 14(3), 194–199. DOI: 10.1080/07421656.1987.10759281.
22.
KillickJ.AllanK. (1999b). The arts in dementia care: Tapping a rich resource. Journal of Dementia Care, 7, 35–38.
23.
KimH. K.KimK. M.NomuraS. (2016). The effect of group art therapy on older Korean adults with neurocognitive disorders. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 47, 48–54. DOI: 10.1016/j.aip.2015.11.002.
24.
KinneyJ. M.RentzC. A. (2005). Observed well-being among individuals with dementia: Memories in the making, an art program, versus other structured activity. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, 20(4), 220–227. DOI: 10.1177/153331750502000406.
25.
LawtonM. (1983). The varieties of wellbeing. Experimental Aging Research, 9(2), 65–72. DOI: 10.1080/03610738308258427.
26.
LawtonM. (1994). Quality of life in Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders, 8(3), 138–150. DOI: 10.1097/00002093-199404000-00015.
27.
LawtonM. (1997a). Assessing quality of life in Alzheimer disease research. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders, 11(6), 91–99.
28.
LawtonM. (1997b). Measures of quality of life and subjective well-being. Generations, 21, 45–47.
29.
LawtonM.RubinsteinR. (2000). Interventions in dementia care: Toward improving quality of life. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.
MacPhersonA.BirdM.AndersonK.DavisT.BlairA. (2009). An art gallery access programme for people with dementia: “You do it for the moment”. Aging & Mental Health, 13(5), 744–752. DOI: 10.1080/13607860902918207.
32.
MarshallM. J.HutchinsonS. A. (2001). A critique of research on the use of activities with persons with Alzheimer’s disease: A systematic literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 35, 488–496. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2001.01887.x.
33.
Martín-AlboJ.NúñezJ. L.NavarroJ. G.GrijalvoF. (2007). The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale: Translation and validation in university samples. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 10(2), 458–467. DOI: 10.1017/s1138741600006727.
34.
MittelmanM.EpsteinC. (2009). Research results. In RosenbergF.ParsaA.HumbleL.McGeeC. (Eds), The MoMA Alzheimer’s project: Making art accessible to people with dementia (pp. 86–105). New York, NY: The Museum of Modern Art.
35.
NanJ. K. M.HoR. T. H. (2017). Effects of clay art therapy on adults outpatients with major depressive disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 217, 237–245. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.04.013.
36.
PeisahC.LawrenceG.ReutensS. (2011). Creative solutions for severe dementia with BPSD: A case of art therapy used in an inpatient and residential care setting. International Psychogeriatrics, 23(6), 1011–1013. DOI: 10.1017/s1041610211000457.
37.
PhinneyA.ChaudhuryH.O’ConnorD. L. (2007). Doing as much as I can do: The meaning of activity for people with dementia. Aging & Mental Health, 11(4), 384–393. DOI: 10.1080/13607860601086470.
38.
PrinceM.WimoA.GuerchetM.AliG. C.WuY. T.PrinaM. (2015). World Alzheimer Report 2015. The global impact of dementia. An analysis of prevalence, incidence, cost & trends. London, UK: Alzheimer’s Disease International.
39.
ReisbergB.FerrisS. H.de LeónM. J.CrookT. (1982). The global deterioration scale for assessment of primary degenerative dementia. American Journal of Psychiatry, 139(9), 1136–1139. DOI: 10.1176/ajp.139.9.1136.
40.
RentzC. A. (2002). Memories in the making: Outcome-based evaluation of an art program for individuals with dementing illnesses. American Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias, 17(3), 175–181. DOI: 10.1177/153331750201700310.
41.
RosenbergF. (2009). The MoMA Alzheimer’s project: Programming and resources for making art accessible to people with Alzheimer’s disease and their caregivers. Arts Health, 1(1), 93–97. DOI: 10.1080/17533010802528108.
42.
RosenbergN. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
43.
RustedJ.SheppardL.WallerD. (2006). A multi-centre randomized control group trial on the use of art therapy for older people with dementia. Group Analysis, 39(4), 517–536. DOI: 10.1177/0533316406071447.
44.
SafarL. T.PressD. Z. (2011). Art and the brain: Effects of dementia on art production in art therapy. Art Therapy, 28(3), 96–103. DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2011.599734.
45.
SauerP. E.Fopma-LoyJ.KinneyJ. M.LokonE. (2016). “It makes me feel like myself”: Person-centered versus traditional visual arts activities for people with dementia. Dementia, 15(5), 895–912. DOI: 10.1177/1471301214543958.
46.
StallingsJ. W. (2010). Collage as a therapeutic modality for reminiscence in patients with dementia. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 27(3), 136–140. DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2010.10129667.
47.
StewartE. G. (2004). Art therapy and neuroscience blend: Working with patients who have dementia. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 21(3), 148–155. DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2004.10129499.
48.
Tucknott-CohenT.EhresmanC. (2016). Art therapy for an individual with late stage dementia: A clinical case description. Art Therapy, 33(1), 41–45. DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2016.1127710.
49.
UllánA. M.BelverM. H.BadíaM.MorenoC.GarridoE.Gómez-IslaJ., … TejedorL. (2013). Contributions of an artistic educational program for older people with early dementia: An exploratory qualitative study. Dementia, 12(4), 425–446. DOI: 10.1177/1471301211430650.
50.
WaldJ. (1993). Art therapy and brain dysfunction in a patient with a dementing illness. Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association, 10(2), 88–95. DOI: 10.1080/07421656.1993.10758987.
51.
WindleG.GregoryS.Howson-GriffithsT.NewmanA.O’BrienD.GouldingA. (2017). Exploring the theoretical foundations of visual art programmes for people living with dementia. Dementia, 17(6), 702–727. DOI: 10.1177/1471301217726613.
