Using Art Therapy In Dementia Care
What is Dementia? The word ‘dementia’ is a term used to describe when the brain has been damaged through diseases. A set of symptoms include; deterioration of a person’s cognitive functioning, communication skills, behaviour and memory. These symptoms can be “severe enough to interfere with social or occupational functions and worsen over time” (Stewart 2004, p. 148). As the disease can interfere with social skills and a sense of self this can lead to the patient becoming depressed as well as developing physical illness, such as difficulty walking and eating on their own. (DementiaUKtypes) The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, but others can include a series of strokes. (What is dementia, p3) The differences between forms of dementia are unclear and a mixture of forms can often co-exist. There is no cure for dementia, however there are treatments available to help slow down the development of the condition and temporarily reduce some of the symptoms. These include medication, occupational therapy and other psychological therapies (NHS website1).
A common misconception of the dementia is that the symptoms of disease, such as memory loss are all part of the aging process. Although age increases your risk of developing the disease, it is not an inevitable part of the aging process. Dementia can affect the younger population too, with people under the age of 65 accounting for up to 9% of cases. Age and Dementia on a Global Scale
The number of people with dementia is estimated to be around 50 million globally and expected to nearly by triple by the year 2050 to around 152 million, an increase of 204%. The majority of people who are suffering from dementia, live in middle-income countries. Arguably this statics prevails, as low income countries tend to have a lower life expectancy there this reduces the prevalence of dementia. However the high-income countries have already seen huge increases to their population and healthcare; increases that upper middle income countries are now experiencing, which therefore means that the prevalence of dementia will be rising more rapidly in lower income/middle income countries. For example research shows that from the years 2015 to 2050, the number of people living with dementia in low income countries will increase by 264% compared to high income countries that will rise by 116%.
The global picture of dementia prevalence is complex due to the differences between countries in the same region, which why the graph seen here, you seen less variations between similar regions. As well as this the number of people in Asia is expected to rise the rapidly due to the rapid increase in their population. Dementia mainly affects the older population, however it isn’t a part of the aging process. Age and Dementia within the UK The economic cost to the National Health Service, social care and their families is £26. 3 billion a year (Dementia UK). At the current estimation there is 850,000 people in the UK living with dementia, which is set to rise to over 1 million by 2025. This means that one in every 79 people in the entire of the UK are living with dementia (Dementia UK). These figures indicate the need for society to have a better understanding of dementia. That it is not only a part of the ageing process, but rather a disease of the brain (GOV. UK).
Age and Dementia and how it’s discussed in the media According to a study carried out by Roger Harrabin, a leading correspondent with the Radio 4 Today programme found that most health experts and policy-makers were “unhappy” with the way health issues covered in the news media. Maintaining that media would give importance to “scare” stories rather than issues that were imperative to public health (KINGSFUNDPG4). Majority of people would accept, including researchers that the quantity of someone’s life isn’t ideal without a quality of life.
Within research concerning age the key outcome is to keep people alive, which would be meaningless if the said person was to have no quality of life. Therefore if were to focus on age related diseases such as dementia, ageing itself has to remain a factor. (HowWeThinkAboutDementiaPg36) People with dementia and their carers have reported having seen doctors and having told them about their concerns over their memory (or other physical problems), been given the response of: ‘It’s just your age’, giving the impression that if they were younger their claims would be taken more seriously (HowWeThinkAboutDementiapg39). This attitude in affect can be damaging to the elderly, as they are encouraged that getting older automatically means that they have to accept the idea that your body and mind is deaerating and that they are in a sense, becoming worthless.
How this negative stigma can be alternated with the use of art therapy The use of art therapy has been supported for not only allowing the patients to feel a sense of relaxation, but can also help towards increasing the patients levels of optimism, self-esteem and general quality of life. However in terms of alzheimer’s disease, music therapy has the most research to suggest improvements to the patients than any of the other therapies. Dr. Potts founder of Cognitive Dynamics, suggests that through his experience that a “combination” of the arts is the most effective of ultilizing there therapies; “For example, art therapy plus music and dance. Or, within an art therapy session, combining cre ative writing and poetry”. He goes on to state that “What is certain is that all of them work better when reminiscence and personal expression make up an integral part of the therapy, where care is taken to not only help patients reminisce, but also to validate their present reality”. (Alzheimers. net2014) Within regards to music therapy, a person with dementia will often remember lyrics from different songs and hymns even though other parts of their memory are damaged. Singing can often help lift moral, energy levels and help the patients feel connected. This in part helps with the patients communication skills, as singing gives the patient a voice that otherwise might not have in their day to day lives. This in turn with playing music that is familiar to them, such as a favourite song or a song significant to their childhood can help to triger past memories.
