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The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Dr. Dalia Gottlieb-Tanaka (talk | contribs) at 07:13, 26 November 2010 (→‎Projects: rewording). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care is a registered non-profit organization[1] dedicated to improving the quality of lives of seniors living with dementia by using the arts and creativity. Originally founded in 2004, the head office is in Vancouver, BC, Canada. In 2007, an affiliate chapter was created in Perth, Australia.[2] The Society organizes annual conferences on Creative Expression, Communication and Dementia, commonly referred to as CECD Conferences.[3] An extension of the conferences is a permanent exhibition of artwork by seniors living with dementia.[4][5]"[6]

Background

The idea for The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care originated in Canada in 2004. It grew out of the experience of Dalia Gottlieb-Tanaka,[7] who had developed a program of Creative Expression Activities in her work with seniors with dementia.[8] As a PhD student at the Institute of Health Promotion Research, an Interdisciplinary Program at the University of British Columbia, she was eager to engage a wider audience of professionals and practitioners in exchanging ideas and strategies to address the problems of this population of seniors.

Early on, she arranged a successful exhibition of artwork that had been produced by the seniors with dementia she worked with; it took place at the Ferry Building Gallery in West Vancouver, BC, in 2003. More than 4,000 people visited the gallery over three weeks.[9] The exhibition included seminars and workshops free of charge and was attended by healthcare providers, caregivers, seniors with dementia and the community at large.

This event demonstrated that there was wide interest in the seniors' condition and curiosity about what kind of creative work the seniors could do. The exhibition and related events served as a catalyst for conferences that Gottlieb-Tanaka organized at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2005 and 2006, the Society's first and second international CECD conferences respectively.[10][11] The Conferences on Creative Expression, Communication and Dementia (CECD) introduced a new concept and new forum where anyone with an interest in dementia care and creative activities could come together to exchange ideas: academics, medical experts, researchers and caregivers responded enthusiastically.

In 2006, Hilary Lee of Perth, Australia, attended the CECD conference, making a presentation on her tapestry project. Lee immediately recognized the Society's value and volunteered to join forces with them, adopt the concept and set up a branch. A year later, the Society for the Arts in Dementia Care (Australia) was born.[12]

In 2008, in partnership with the the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Addiction, the Society for the Arts in Dementia Care held its third international CECD conference[13] at Emily Carr University in Vancouver. That year, the accompanying art exhibition was entitled Mindscapes 2008[14] and like previous years, this gallery of artwork by seniors living with dementia experienced high traffic. It was at this conference that the Society successfully began the process of bridging the gap between the medical field and the creative arts, which is one of the aims of the Society. The Scientific Director at the Douglas Hospital Research Centre in Montreal, Dr. Remi Quirion, agrees and stated that "[i]n some ways, relationships are changing through dementia, so creative expression can help families find ways to reconnect. You can see the person on a piece of paper or in music or through another creative medium."[15]

In 2009, the Australian affiliate chapter of the Society organized its fourth international CECD conference in Adelaide, Australia.[16]

In 2010, the Canadian branch of the Society held its fifth international CECD conference on the theme of Health, Aging and the Creative Arts in Penticton, BC, Canada.[17]

Since then, professionals, who attended these conferences, worldwide have replicated the experience in their own communities, bringing new ideas and the opportunity to share common experiences to many others who care for these seniors. The Society welcomes such initiatives and applauds the positive effects on the seniors' quality of life.

Reasons for establishment and facts on aging in Canada

The aging population in Canada will peak between 2025 to 2045 when the Baby Boom generation reaches 75+ years of age[18]. Significant pressure will be brought to bear on the healthcare system and on support services for older people. Long-term care facilities are expected to experience higher demand for their services. According to Health Canada, one of every four people over the age of 80 will have some form of cognitive impairment.[19]. These pressures may threaten the quality of services for seniors with dementia in the future.

Today, most services are geared to meeting basic needs, while existing quality of life programs, such as those based on creative self-expression, have never really reached their potential. The consensus among researchers is that creativity enhances the quality of life at every stage in human development from cradle to grave and that the idea of everyday creativity manifests itself in being curious, in an ongoing process of self-evaluation and personal growth. Accepting the premise that creativity improves psychological health and contributes to the empowerment process, the ultimate goal is to enable persons with dementia to maintain and enhance the quality of their lives and to use their remaining abilities to express themselves.

Although the literature is rich in empirical and anecdotal studies on memory, cognition, perception, dementia and dementia care, there is still a wide gap in information in connecting research to creativity, creative expression in people with dementia and the physical environment. The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care promotes the crossing of boundaries of physiological and psychological knowledge in dementia research into the everyday implementation of dementia care. As such, the Society aims to adjust creative expression activities to accommodate specific physical needs or abilities.

The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care encourages practitioners, including caregivers in areas of art therapy, creative expression, music therapy, and occupational therapy, to work closely with the scientific community and vice a versa. The Society believes that such an alliance is crucial in achieving appropriate creative expression interventions.

In addition to the medical description of lost abilities, the Society also feels that there is a need for detailed practical examples that are appropriately designed and conducted with seniors with dementia. The Society stresses the importance of taking the accumulated knowledge from research and practice and directly placing it into the community at large.

Mission statement

The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care is built on the premise that people living with dementia have the right to dignity, to be heard and to be valued. The Society provides an interdisciplinary forum for creative expression in dementia care, bringing together academic research and practical knowledge through collaboration between the medical profession and the creative arts. The Society aims to disseminate knowledge and establish ties with dementia care organisations worldwide, thereby improving the quality of life for people with dementia.[20]

The topic of creative expression and dementia is gaining interest in conferences, workshops, art exhibits and in research in the academic world. Presently, there is no known cure for this condition[21] and the Society urges the medical model of dementia care to be reinforced with approaches that promote social and creative well-being. The work of the Society is of interest to researchers in gerontology and dementia, to the arts community, to creative expression facilitators, medical doctors, formal and informal caregivers. It also engages practitioners in the field of dementia care, administrators of care facilities, policy makers, families and the community at large.

Roles in Canada and in Australia

The Society aims:

  • To advocate for and support people with dementia:
  • To increase advocacy for people with dementia and their caregivers;
  • To provide an interdisciplinary forum for where all can meet and share recent findings, practical experiences and collaborate on innovative approaches;
  • To better understand dementia and how to cope with this condition using creativity;
  • To promote dementia care in the community through creative expression activities;
  • To reach out to practitioners, academics and members of the community at large who provide creative expression programs to seniors with dementia;
  • To encourage artists to seek opportunities in therapeutic services and by doing so, enrich the pool of creative expression programs;
  • To increase awareness among artists, caregivers and political leaders of the importance of creative expression activities in health care;
  • To interact more with people with dementia to support their right to live in dignity;
  • To maintain people with dementia longer at home and within their communities before admitting them to care facilities.

Projects

The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care is frequently highlighted in The Canadian Review of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, while also being the sole provider of the featured artwork by a senior living with dementia on the journal covers.[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]

Coverage

"In 2003 Dalia Gottlieb-Tanaka held an exhibition of images made by individuals living with dementia in Vancouver and over four thousand people came to view the exhibition. Such public exposure and recognition allows individuals living with dementia to feel valued and acknowledged. In Vancouver in May, 2008, The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care and the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Addiction are holding a conference entitled Creative expression, communication and dementia. As an extension to the conference, another exhibition of art works by individuals living with dementia is being organised."[30]

"In her presentation [at Canada's National Arts Centre in Ottawa], Dalia Gottlieb-Tanaka talked about how the arts can help people with dementia...She is currently training caregivers in dementia care in the Creative Expression Activities Program she conceived and developed to improve the quality of life of seniors with dementia. Ms Gottlieb-Tanaka said the arts can boost the mood of people with dementia and allow them to "turn disabilities into opportunities." She also said she believes that the desire to be creative does not diminish as people age, even when they suffer from dementia. Not only do many of her clients enjoy working on creative arts such as painting, some will show artistic talent."[31]

"So how can we help people with dementia and their caregivers? One local organization, the Society for the Arts in Dementia Care, is doing just that by providing an interdisciplinary forum for creative expression in dementia care, and brining together academic research and practical knowledge to encourage collaboration between the medical profession and the creative arts."[32]

"Recognizing the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to the creative arts in dementia care and borrowing knowledge from the various types and methods of art therapy, Dalia knew she must act to bring them all together without worrying about how they fit in. This led to her establishing the Society for the Arts in Dementia Care, a registered, non-profit society. Through the society, Dalia and her Executive Board of devoted individuals have organized conferences and workshops, put out regular newsletters, presented at conferences, established ties with other like-minded groups around the world, and raised awareness about the value and significance of the creative arts in dementia care."[33]

"Gottlieb-Tanaka calls it "creative expressive therapy" - using art, dance, theatre, music, sculpture, sewing, even flower arranging to deal with dementia. The show led to an umbrella organization formed two years ago - the Society for the Arts in Dementia Care - to improve the lives of dementia sufferers through creative expression. She has a collection of art, seven years of research and experience, collaborators from all over the world..."[34]

"One of the Society's most satisfying projects was the development of a permanent collection of art produced by seniors with dementia, and donated by the seniors, their families and their care facilities."[35]

"Along with Dr. Peter Graf, a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia and a member of the Society's advisory board, the Society and its Australian partner have developed an assessment tool to gauge the effects of participating in creative programs. The tool explores various areas in which individuals may best express themselves."[36]


References

  1. ^ http://www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/the-practical-academic
  2. ^ "CECD Dementia care and treatment - dementia conference 2010". Cecd-society.org. Retrieved 2010-11-20.
  3. ^ Gottlieb-Tanaka, Dalia (2010). We are the vessel that carries the memories of those with dementia. Vancouver Sun. A19
  4. ^ Gottlieb-Tanaka, Dalia (2009). The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care welcomes artwork donations to its permanent collection. Care Quarterly: A newsletter for long term care providers and home support agencies in BC. BC Care Providers Association.Cover and page 4.
  5. ^ Baines, Patricia (2007). Nurturing the heart: creativity, art therapy and dementia.Alzheimer's Australia. Quality Dementia Care Series. No.3, 35
  6. ^ Gottlieb-Tanaka, Dalia (2009). The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care welcomes artwork donations to its permanent collection. Care Quarterly: A newsletter for long term care providers and home support agencies in BC. BC Care Providers Association.Cover and page 4.
  7. ^ "CECD - Society for the Arts in Dementia Care, Perth Australia". Cecd-society.org. Retrieved 2010-11-20.
  8. ^ National Arts Centre Foundation (2005).Roundtable on music and medicine. Music, stroke and dementia. 9-10.
  9. ^ Baines, Patricia (2007). Nurturing the heart: creativity, art therapy and dementia.Alzheimer's Australia. Quality Dementia Care Series. No.3, 35
  10. ^ http://www.cecd-society.org/past_conference_05.html
  11. ^ http://www.cecd-society.org/past_conference_06.html
  12. ^ "CECD Dementia care and treatment - dementia conference 2010". Cecd-society.org. Retrieved 2010-11-20.
  13. ^ Baines, Patricia (2007). Nurturing the heart: creativity, art therapy and dementia.Alzheimer's Australia. Quality Dementia Care Series. No.3, 35
  14. ^ (2008). The Canadian Review of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Vol 11, No. 1. Pages 2 and 31.
  15. ^ Van Den Broek, Astrid (2008). The art of dementia: Program encourages creativity and connection. Cross Currents. The Journal of Addiction and Mental Health. Vol 11, No. 4. Cover and page 2.
  16. ^ http://www.cecd-society.org/past_conference_09.html
  17. ^ http://www.cecd-society.org/past_conference_10.html
  18. ^ Health Canada (March, 2001).
  19. ^ Health Canada (March, 2001).
  20. ^ "Dementia care". Cecd-society.org. Retrieved 2010-11-20.
  21. ^ http://www.alzheimer.ca/english/disease/myths.htm
  22. ^ (2008). On the cover. The Canadian Review of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Vol 11, No. 2. Cover and page 2.
  23. ^ (2008). On the cover. The Canadian Review of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Vol 11, No. 3. Cover and page 2.
  24. ^ (2009). On the cover. The Canadian Review of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Vol 12, No. 1. Cover and pages 2 and 25.
  25. ^ (2009). On the cover. The Canadian Review of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Vol 12, No. 2. Cover and page 2.
  26. ^ (2009). On the cover. The Canadian Review of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Vol 12, No. 3. Cover and pages 2 and 22.
  27. ^ (2010). On the cover. The Canadian Review of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Vol 13, No. 1. Cover and pages 2 and 14.
  28. ^ (2010). On the cover. The Canadian Review of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Vol 13, No. 2. Cover and pages 2 and 18.
  29. ^ (2010). On the cover. The Canadian Review of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. Vol 13, No. 3. Cover and page 2.
  30. ^ Baines, Patricia (2007). Nurturing the heart: creativity, art therapy and dementia.Alzheimer's Australia. Quality Dementia Care Series. No.3, 35
  31. ^ National Arts Centre Foundation (2005).Roundtable on music and medicine. Music, stroke and dementia. 9-10.
  32. ^ Gottlieb-Tanaka, Dalia (2010). We are the vessel that carries the memories of those with dementia. Vancouver Sun. A19
  33. ^ http://www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/the-practical-academic
  34. ^ Moreau, Jennifer (2006). Creative Search. North Shore Outlook. R 7
  35. ^ Gottlieb-Tanaka, Dalia (2009). The Society for the Arts in Dementia Care welcomes artwork donations to its permanent collection. Care Quarterly: A newsletter for long term care providers and home support agencies in BC. BC Care Providers Association.Cover and page 4.
  36. ^ Van Den Broek, Astrid (2008). The art of dementia: Program encourages creativity and connection. Cross Currents. The Journal of Addiction and Mental Health. Vol 11, No. 4. Cover and page 2.
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