Art classes organized to combat dementia
A group of senior Singaporeans are getting a chance at beating back the onset of dementia by participating in special art programs in conjunction with several major Singapore art museums.
The aim of the programs is to study whether such art therapy can delay dementia for those individuals most at risk for the condition. Since elderly people with certain diseases already can be more susceptible to dementia, those individuals were carefully handpicked for participation in this special program. They will be measured throughout the duration of the experience to document any changes or improvements by using analyses such as brain scans.
The program itself is twofold. The first part includes art museum tours with specially trained docents. The docents take the group of seniors to specific art exhibits or paintings within the museum and engage them in discussion and reminiscing. For example, one painting had elderly members of the group chatting about their kampung experiences, harking back to a time they lived life without the modern comforts of electricity or television. Another painting showed street sellers dashing away from authority figures in a wildly engaging scene. The docents are responsible for selecting works of art they think might best inspire conversation and thinking among the elderly, as well as keeping the discussion going.
The second part of the program includes special art therapy classes. Art therapy can come in many different formats. Participants might, for example, draw or paint a piece of art based on a reading that the art therapist gives. Or they might maintain an art journal, making something new every day. They could view another art piece and make something inspired by it. Or they could listen to a certain song and construct a masterpiece based on it.
This particular study isn’t the first of its kind, showing just how important researchers believe art is to health. Other studies in and around Singapore look to combat depression among the elderly with art tours and therapy. An added bonus is that many of the seniors participating in the program had never before been to National Gallery Singapore, one of the museums taking part in this special program. The experience helps engage seniors and get them out and about into the world, adding to the benefits that art is already giving them.
Do you know someone who would benefit from participating in art or taking art lessons? Visit SGArtClass.com today to see all the different classes offered. From watercolor painting to charcoal sketching and many, many more, there is sure to be an art class available to engage that special person in your life. It doesn’t matter if that person is your child, parent, or grandparent. Highly trained teachers will be happy to work with people of all ages and skill levels to help bring the joy of art to their students.
To read more about the art classes for people at risk of developing dementia, go to http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/a-dose-of-art-may-keep-dementia-at-bay.