TY - JOUR

T1 - How Can the Arts Influence the Attitudes of Dementia Caregivers? A Mixed-Methods Longitudinal Investigation

AU - Windle, Gill

AU - Woods, Bob

AU - Caulfield, Maria

AU - Joling, Karlijn

N1 - © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.

PY - 2020/9

Y1 - 2020/9

N2 - Background and Objectives: Arts activities can improve social connectedness and foster reciprocity between people livingwith dementia and their caregivers. The extent to which the arts can help shape attitudes towards dementia remains unclear.This paper explores the impact of a 12-week visual arts program “Dementia and Imagination” on the attitudes of familyand professional caregivers through a mixed-methods longitudinal investigation, underpinned by a conceptual frameworkof the arts in dementia care.Research Design and Methods: One hundred and forty-six family and professional caregivers were recruited acrossthree settings in England and Wales (residential care homes, a county hospital, and community venues). Quantitativeand qualitative data on caregivers’ attitudes and perceptions of the impact of the arts program were collected throughinterviews at three time points.Results: Thematic analysis identified four themes shared across the caregivers: (1) Recognizing capabilities, (2) Socialconnectedness, (3) Improvements to well-being, and (4) Equality and personhood. Two further themes were distinct to familycaregivers: (5) Duration of the effects of the art program, and (6) Enriched perspective. The final theme Inspiring professionaldevelopment was distinct to the professional caregivers. The quantitative analysis found no effect for caregivers’ attitudechange over time. Family caregivers scored significantly lower than professional caregivers at each of the three time points.Discussion and Implications: Art programs have the potential to make visible the capabilities of the people living withdementia, enabling caregivers to see the person behind the condition. This study highlights practice implications for futureimplementation, such as the role of the arts in dementia care education.

AB - Background and Objectives: Arts activities can improve social connectedness and foster reciprocity between people livingwith dementia and their caregivers. The extent to which the arts can help shape attitudes towards dementia remains unclear.This paper explores the impact of a 12-week visual arts program “Dementia and Imagination” on the attitudes of familyand professional caregivers through a mixed-methods longitudinal investigation, underpinned by a conceptual frameworkof the arts in dementia care.Research Design and Methods: One hundred and forty-six family and professional caregivers were recruited acrossthree settings in England and Wales (residential care homes, a county hospital, and community venues). Quantitativeand qualitative data on caregivers’ attitudes and perceptions of the impact of the arts program were collected throughinterviews at three time points.Results: Thematic analysis identified four themes shared across the caregivers: (1) Recognizing capabilities, (2) Socialconnectedness, (3) Improvements to well-being, and (4) Equality and personhood. Two further themes were distinct to familycaregivers: (5) Duration of the effects of the art program, and (6) Enriched perspective. The final theme Inspiring professionaldevelopment was distinct to the professional caregivers. The quantitative analysis found no effect for caregivers’ attitudechange over time. Family caregivers scored significantly lower than professional caregivers at each of the three time points.Discussion and Implications: Art programs have the potential to make visible the capabilities of the people living withdementia, enabling caregivers to see the person behind the condition. This study highlights practice implications for futureimplementation, such as the role of the arts in dementia care education.

KW - Dementia

KW - Art

KW - Intervention

KW - Attitudes

KW - Mixed-methods

KW - Longitudinal

KW - Qualitative

U2 - 10.1093/geront/gnaa005

DO - 10.1093/geront/gnaa005

M3 - Article

C2 - 32447369

VL - 60

SP - 1103

EP - 1114

JO - Gerontologist

JF - Gerontologist

SN - 0016-9013

IS - 6

ER -