Abstract
Community-based participatory arts are being increasingly promoted worldwide for the wellbeing of people living with dementia and their caregivers. Yet, there remains variability in the arts-based programmes available and inconsistencies in how they are evaluated. Moreover, the voices of people with dementia are lacking in the research process. This conference paper is based on findings from a doctoral research project in partnership with Lancaster University and Theatre by the Lake, UK, to examine the effectiveness of a participatory multi-arts dementia programme developed by the latter organisation. The project involved a participatory action research (PAR) and sensory ethnography design, with qualitative and visual multi-methods. An ‘in the moment’ theoretical lens was developed by integrating more-than-representational theory, therapeutic landscapes and relational wellbeing concepts. This paper focuses on one aspect of the research findings, which explores the plurality of communication and participation in art-making through more-than-verbal, more-than-human tenets. This is explored through a small number of participant case studies which demonstrate different dimensions of multi-arts activities. This paper ultimately promotes the use of objects in creative settings for people with dementia, to provide agency whilst living with complex symptoms, and to support ways of self-expression, meaning-making, and having their ‘voices’ heard through unconventional methods of multi-sensory arts engagement.
Presenters
Meghann Catherine WardResearch Fellow, Health and Society Knowledge Exchange (HASKE), University of Cumbria, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2023 Special Focus: Agency in an Era of Displacement and Social Change
KEYWORDS
Dementia, Alzheimer's, Participatory, Arts, Multi-sensory, Materiality, Voice, Communication, Social Agency
