Background: This thesis aims to evaluate whether a visual art programme can increase the quality of life and well-being of care home residents with dementia. This promising area lacks scientific evidence for the positive effects noted anecdotally. Therefore, careful consideration of study design and measures is needed before conclusions regarding efficacy are drawn.
Methods: The research includes a review of observational measures to identify an appropriate measure to evaluate a visual art programme for care home residents with dementia. An adapted version of this tool is evaluated during three conditions: the art intervention, another structured activity, and unstructured time and compared with quality of life and mood questionnaires before and after the intervention. Perspectives of the residents, care staff and artist teams are sought to explore the experience and impact of the
intervention. A systematic review and narrative synthesis is conducted to show where the results fit within the wider literature.
Results: Results suggest the Greater Cincinnati Chapter Well-being Observation Tool is an appropriate observational measure and that the adapted version is sensitive to change, shows a relationship with secondary measures, and is suitable to provide a rigorous evaluation of a visual art intervention compared to another structured activity and unstructured time. The participants, care staff, and artist team all speak of the positive impact involvement in a visual art intervention can have on people with dementia. The narrative synthesis demonstrates that evidence for the positive effect visual art interventions have on people with dementia is improving in extent and quality.
Conclusion: The findings from the thesis are discussed, along with practical implications, methodological and theoretical considerations, and limitations of the study. Findings from this thesis make a valuable contribution to the discussion of suitable measures and methodology to evaluate a visual art intervention for people with dementia and offers valuable lessons to inform a future larger scale study.