The arts and dementia innovative ways of living well Maria Parsons Director ARTZ UK

Introduction and overview About dementia and demographics Approaches to dementia care Drivers for non pharmacological approaches Creative arts – what do we mean? ARTZ UK

People, residents, patients, audiences ….. People with dementia:  ,000  ,000  2051 estimated 1,735,000  1 in 25 over 65 +  1 in 5 over 75  17,000 under 65  68% are aged over 80  17% over 90  Age is biggest risk factor so as the proportion of oldest old grows so do numbers of people with dementia

Paradigm shift in care models  Old culture of care – medical model: dementia as an incurable disease state  Therapeutic nihilism: ‘nothing can be done’  New culture - social model: focus on the person  Neurological impairment only one component of dementing process  Personality, biography, physical health, social psychology shape/mediate individual experience  Built and social environments can promote or disable people with dementia

Policy drivers for person centred care Transformation of health and social care Personal Budgets: choice and control GP Commissioning National Dementia Strategy 2009 – framework for health, social care and housing services to improve quality of care and support for people with dementia Public health agenda- prevention and early intervention Healthy communities.

What does it mean? To live well with dementia

Non Pharmacological approaches StandardAlternativeBrief intervention Behavioural Therapy Creative arts Individual, couple & group psychotherapy Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) Music therapyPositive person work ReminiscenceComplementary therapy Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) ValidationAromatherapy OrientationMultisensory approaches

In place of antipsychotics “…it appears that they are too often used as a first-line response to behavioural difficulty in dementia rather than as a considered second-line treatment when other non-pharmacological approaches have failed.” Prof Sube Bannerjee (2009) The use of antipsychotic medication for people with dementia: Time for action, report to the Department of Health Non pharmacological approaches, in particular creative arts are being successfully used to engage and occupy people with dementia reducing the use of antipsychotics.

Promoting health and wellbeing through creative arts Music – Singing, listening to music, concert going ( festivals and gigs for our generation!) Theatre and improvisation Comedy and clowning Dance and movement Books and poetry Visual arts and ceramics Films and videos Digital media

Singing for the brain

Theatre - Ladder to the Moon Positive effects of interactive theatre residency on residents and staff at Rathmore House, London (Central and Cecil Housing Association) Central and Cecil. Read the report at site_New/Adding_Value/E ntries/2010/5/7_Over_the_ Moon.htmlf site_New/Adding_Value/E ntries/2010/5/7_Over_the_ Moon.htmlf

What is ARTZ? ARTZ UK is an organisation that uses an approach to arts and dementia care pioneered by Artists for Alzheimer’s USA. ARTZ aims to improve the health and well being of people with dementia by working with families and their communities, artists and arts organisations and cultural institutions ARTZ works in partnership with health and social care, and housing services across all sectors

The ARTZ UK programmes Guided tours in museums and art galleries using specially trained staff and volunteers for people with dementia and their carers. A network of amateur and professional artists who volunteer for 1 hour per year to work with or perform for people with dementia in care homes. A network of community based cultural institutions including cafés’, museums, cinemas and theatres offering a programme of weekly events for people with dementia and carers Education programmes for all formal and informal carers, staff and volunteers

‘It Takes a Village’ Critical to the concept is the porous membrane that art in the community and getting people out of their homes is as important as bringing art and stimulation into the home

Rolling out ARTZ UK Social enterprise Launched June 2011 A visible small scale replicable pilot in Oxfordshire Arts and dementia forum bringing together commissioners and artists/providers Providing training in using creative arts for care providers and cultural institutions Evaluation service – helping arts organisations systematically evaluate what they are doing Developing website as a resource for all those with an interests in creative arts and dementia

Key contacts and resources London Arts and Health are hosting the development of the National Institute for Creative Ageing Artists for Alzheimer’s John Zeisel’s book I’m still here (2010)Paitkus ARTZ UK Director ARTZ UK Thank you for listening