A fascinating project is harnessing the power of the arts to unlock creativity and communication | The Guardian
Image shows an artistic interpretation of Alzheimer’s Disease
Supported by the Wellcome Trust and housed in its Hub space at the top of the Wellcome Collection on Euston Road in London, Created Out of Mind is the brainchild of Sebastian Crutch, a neuropsychologist in the Dementia Research Centre of University College London. As well as challenging stereotypes about what it means to live with dementia, the project aims to develop better tools for assessing the value of using arts with people who have these conditions. All too often, such efforts are perceived as “giving them something to do”, or perhaps as utilitarian therapies for sustaining cognitive skills. But if the real personal enrichment of the arts often comes “in the moment”, why should it be any different for people with dementia? And such activities can reveal a creativity obscured by impairment of an individual’s resources for regular communication.
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